Anders & Company
by meenajon
Summary: Kara may be married to Sam, and Lee's half cylon, but she just can't let him go yet Now in the 40something chappies! Yay!
1. 1 thru 9

Lee smiled as he strolled out of the head into the locker room. He was more than glad to be back on the Galactica. Starbuck was still prone to rib him after the kiss he had given her. That had been almost two months ago. He found himself touching his lips at the memory.

Racetrack stumbled up behind him.

"Watch out, Apollo!" she laughed as his towel slipped from his grip and he struggled to keep himself covered. He almost tripped into the officer's quarters.

"So, is our CAG ready to do maneuvers, or is he going to take a little rest after his vacation to Kobol?"

Starbuck cocked an eyebrow as she furtively watched him enter. She caught a glimpse of the well-toned backside that usually remained snug within a cockpit. "Well?" she prodded.

Apollo waited until the other pilots had left before he spoke. He got in close to her shoulder and said quietly, "There are no maneuvers scheduled for today, Lieutenant. You know that, and I know that. So do you mind telling me what you're thinking about this time? Don't tell me you've still got that stupid idea in your head about going back to Caprica. Kara?"

Starbuck slammed her locker shut and almost knocked him down as she pushed past him.  
"Don't start, Lee. I _am_ going back. I don't know _how_. I don't know _when_. A promise is a promise. I'm _not _going to leave those people down there to die, and just because the President of the Colonies doesn't think it's priority, I..."

Lee grabbed her firmly by the shoulders to get her attention as she was ranting on.  
"Whoa, whoa, _whoa_ there."

She wouldn't meet his eyes. He stood patiently waiting until she did.

"Kara... You're preaching to the crowd, Kara. If there was something I could do to save the lives of more innocent people, I would. Believe me." He shook his head when he knew he wasn't getting through to her completely. "Starbuck, I've got more than enough responsibility on my hands trying to keep my pilots alive, not to mention more than 47,000 colonists..."

"Alright! Fine! Can I go now!"

"Actually, no," came a voice from behind them. Helo had a little grin on his face as he looked at one, then the other.

About three hours later, they were in a Raptor on their way to do a 'jump-ahead'. Lee was the pilot, using the excuse that his other Viper pilots needed rack time. Helo went along as the ECO. Tyrol, shaking his head and muttering about 'procedure', kept his mouth shut when Starbuck decided to tag along.

Dee's soft, reassuring voice came over the com.

"Apollo, you are cleared for FTL jump. Good hunting."

"Roger that, Galactica. Raptor 249 initiating sequence."

Two seconds later, they were on the dark side of Caprica, looking for a place to hide.

"Apollo," came Helo's voice. "Land over there." He pointed to Starbuck, who relayed the ECO's instruction to the more nervous than usual pilot. They were making a shaky descent through the atmosphere.

"Starbuck, you owe me big for this one. The only thing that might save our asses is that my Dad is a huge fan of the Caprica Buccaneers."

She shook her head at him. "Well I wouldn't be doing too much talking, Lee. We need to hurry this one, and by the Lords of Kobol, we might get in and out without running into the fracking Cylons for once. Helo! Any activity on your screen?"

"Not where we're landing, Starbuck. But you're right, we're going to have to hoof it. There's almost five miles between the compound and the landing site."

Apollo grimaced as they touched down, muttering under his breath.  
_How did you let them talk you into this?_

Kara reached out and touched his arm.  
"I_ never_ break a promise."

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Helo and Starbuck were hurting as they came up to the last ridge. Old injuries felt new with the added strain. Apollo had been waiting for them at least five minutes with an evil grin on his face.

"Too bad we don't have any new recruits so you two could get discharged for disability."

The look on Helo's face said it all. "Funny Apollo. You're a regular comedian."

Click. The noise repeated over and over.

'Frak,' thought Starbuck. 'Right into a gods damned ambush.'

"Too bad we're not the Cylons," said a deep voice. "We could have had quite a catch with you three."

Starbuck whirled around with a broad smile.

"Hello stranger," he said as he looked down at her. "Keeping a promise?" Anders gave her a slight hug. "Helo," as they shook hands. "And you are...?"

Apollo turned to greet him, barely concealing his suspicious look.

"Adama. Lee Adama. Call sign is Apollo."

"Apollo, nice to meet you. I'm Sam Anders. This is Kripke, JoeMan and Morris Fink," as he pointed to each in turn. They lowered their weapons. Anders looked toward the sky.  
"Get down!"

They all hunkered beneath the brush. He inched his way up between Apollo and Starbuck.

"Looks like we caught you just in time... There!"

As he pointed toward the north end of the compound, a heavy raider landed. Two, five, ten, twelve toasters piled out of it and began scanning for survivors.

"We've been waiting for this one," he said as he passed the binoculars to Apollo. "They haven't attacked us until now. We have surveillance of them searching the countryside for the past two weeks. Must be getting desperate for more guinea pigs for their farms."

Starbuck lowered her head as Lee questioned, "Farms?"

Anders looked at her intently. Helo interrupted. "Farms, Apollo. They were collecting women to 'breed' with the Cylons. Don't look at me like that, Apollo. Sharon's different. _My_ Sharon's different. They can't reproduce. They can't figure out why yet..." His voice trailed off.

Lee looked past Anders to Kara

"Now I know why you wanted to get back so soon. You told me there were survivors, but you didn't so much as..."

She became her defensive old self.

"Well, you didn't _ask_, did you? It wasn't a priority, _was_ it?  
He tried to apologize. "Hey, I..."

Kara wasn't listening. She had already turned back to Anders, putting her hand on his arm. The gesture did not escape an increasingly curious Apollo.

"So what's the plan?"

Anders looked at each of them in turn. "Well, we sit back and wait until they're heading for the raider, then take out the toasters. Now that you're here, maybe you can load us all up and fly us out of here."

She sat thinking for a few minutes, becoming more and more angry.

"I say we take the raider and go find as many farms as we can, free as many of the colonists as we can and..."

"Hey wait! Look!" Helo was pointed to the raider. "It's not as empty as you thought."  
Starbuck took the binoculars then passed them quickly to Apollo.

"That bitch!"

A Six model was coming out of the raider, followed by a copy of herself. Apollo's jaw dropped.

"I'll never get used to that. Do they always come together like that?"

Helo laughed. "And to think I thought they were twins once. That's why Sha-why we kept running.

Anders signaled some of his fighters. They started spreading out.

"They must have seen you on radar or something when you flew in. Not good. We need to move; NOW. You guys ready?"

"Wait!" Apollo started. "Where are we going? That's _your_ compound, isn't it?"

Grinning was coming easier for him today. He was more than glad to see them.  
"_Was _our compound. We've gotten ourselves a new one. Let's move."

After what seemed like a small eternity, they reached what had been an elementary school, given away by the smallness of everything. Knocking twice, two of the guards pushed open the double doors. There were two more at the ready on the other side. One of them recognized Helo and Starbuck. He nodded as they passed by, following Anders down the dimly lit hallway.  
They looked at the walls as they walked past, covered with bulletin boards and children's artwork, waiting for their owners to come collect them. Apollo shuddered at the thought of the billions of children who would never return to walk these halls.

Anders began to speak as they came to the end of the hallway, at the back of the school.  
"There's a cellar back here, with an underground exit. It's our main escape route if we come under attack. This school was built during the last Cylon War. I think I actually went here, " he said with a grin. "Showers are that way, " he indicated to the left. "Infirmary is a little further down the hall, office on the other side. Gymnasium's on the other hall, if you like Pyramid games. Cafeteria is...well, you'll smell it in a couple of hours. Food is served usually around 0600, 1300 and 1900, if we're not out doing recon."

Starbuck carefully took it all in. "Looks like you guys have gotten more organized." She could barely hide the sarcasm. "Thought you said you needed some help the last time we were here."

"We found some. A few days after we raided our third farm, we ran across some people holed up in the mountains. Turned out one of them was ex-military. Old guy named Taggart."

Apollo and Helo perked up a bit. "Taggart?" Lee began. "Not Charles Taggart?"

Kara looked curiously from one man to the other. Anders replied,  
"Yeah. Charles Taggart. Said he was a retired Colonial Marine. Came to Caprica to visit his daughter and grandson when everything went down."

She still looked utterly confused. "What the frak are you two talking about?"

Helo grinned and shook his head as Apollo tried to explain it to her.

"Kara, did you forget about 'Uncle Charlie'? You can't tell me that in all the time you were with Zak that you _never_ met Uncle Charlie."

"Gotta say, I'm drawing a blank here. What?" she yelled when Helo laughed out loud.  
Apollo turned to Anders. "Can you take us to him?"

"Yeah, sure. Follow me."

They went through the gym to a courtyard with a couple of swings and a slide. A young woman, looking a little worse for wear, was pushing a little boy in a swing. On the bench to his right, an older gentleman was watching proudly. He craned his neck toward them as the door slammed shut.

"Well I'll be a monkey's uncle! Lee Adama, here, on Caprica!"

Lee walked over and shook the man's hand.

"How's your dad? Did he make it through the attack?"

"Yes sir."

"Your mom? Zackie?"

Lee's response was a little more subdued. "Mom didn't make it," he sighed. "Zak died two years ago. Viper accident."

Taggart coughed. "Sorry son. Sorry about that." He looked past Lee to the others. "Who'd you bring with you?"

Lee smiled again. "You'll never believe this. Karl Agathon..." Helo shook hands heartily with the older man. Taggart laughed in return.

"I remember you. You had the hardest time at the academy trying to decide if you wanted to fly a Viper or be on a Raptor. Guess your grandma convinced you to take the safer route?" he said, looking at the patch on his uniform.

"I guess so, sir. Good to see you again."

They turned to Kara. "And may I present Lt. Kara Thrace. Best Viper pilot we have...at least she thinks she is, " he finished dryly.

The old man's eyes twinkled as he looked her over. Kara began to squirm like a worm under a magnifying glass. Now he began to chuckle.

"Little miss K-K. I'd have thought you'd be an athlete."

Recognition finally passed over her face-the light bulb popping in her head.  
"Uncle Charlie! Lee, why didn't you tell me _this_ was Uncle Charlie.

He shook his head as everyone began to laugh at Starbuck.

"I did, Starbuck. You just weren't listening."

They were introduced to his daughter and grandson, then followed Anders back to find their bunks.

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Lee thought about the strangeness of the Universe after they had finished dinner. Helo and Starbuck had gone off to play a game with the Bucs, giving Apollo a little time to himself.

Starbuck. He had surprised even himself when he told her he loved her. Every day it was becoming harder and harder to hide his feelings. Lee worried about her every time she got into a cockpit. 'What if we lose her again?' 'What if she takes off again, pulling some stunt and she can't get back?' It was the latter thought that made him come with her and Helo on this escapade. He knew she'd do it with or without him, and he'd rather be able to keep an eye on her.

"Apollo, you okay?" Helo had come back from the game.

He looked around a minute, then replied. "Lost in my thoughts, I guess. Where's Starbuck?"

"Oh, she and Anders and a few of the Bucs kept playing. I came in to get some sleep. That, and my leg is starting to cramp up. You should go watch. When I left, she was wiping the floor with them."

Lee laughed. "Same old Starbuck, heh?"

Helo concurred. "Yeah. Same old Starbuck. I'm gonna turn in."

"See you, then. Think I'll go and check out the rest of that game."

He walked down the hallway, passing a few of the Pyramid players as he went. If he'd expected to find Starbuck in the gym, he was sorely disappointed. She was nowhere in sight. _Regulation-sized Pyramid court all right. It's a wonder they put it in here in the first place...don't have enough other things to worry about. They had to put a fracking Pyramid court in._ He was more than a little irritated with Starbuck.

"Where the frak are you, Kara?" he said aloud. He hadn't meant to. The sound of his voice reverberated through the rafters. The sound of the metal doors clicking shut behind him echoed through the room, too. He turned around to gripe at the person who had entered, but stopped quickly in his tracks.

"Shelley Godfrey."

She smiled at the mention of this name.

"Shelley. Gina. There are many names, many forms. We are here. We are there. We are nearly everywhere."

The Cylon was having too much fun with this.

"The almighty Apollo. Taking the name of a false idol...one of great power."

Apollo wasn't even listening to her. He was checking to see if there was another way out of the room, besides the doors she was now blocking. He didn't get a chance to find out; his world went black.

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"Open your eyes."

The terse command came from behind him. Lee began to squirm, but he felt cold metal at his ear. His eyes began to adjust to the light. There was a curtain in front of him.

"Enjoy the show," Six said insidiously.

The curtain creeped open. Lee slowly realized that he was standing behind the mirror in the old office. He saw a bed, some dirty clothes thrown in one corner. The door opened, then slammed shut as two people entered the room, laughing.

It was Starbuck with Anders. They were dripping wet from a shower they obviously had just taken. Lee felt his ears turning red as he became very uncomfortable. This was something he had no desire to watch. Starbuck was as well known for her escapades in bed as she was for her ability to fly a Viper, but it wasn't something that Lee wished to watch firsthand. The jealousy began to bubble up inside of him.

_Told her I love her. Guess that didn't mean as much to her.  
_He was just glad he could only watch, not listen.

As if reading his mind, the Six model turned on a switch on the panel next to the curtain. The metal behind his ear became a little more insistent.

They had fallen into bed. Anders looked down at Kara in amusement. She thought she was so tough, but he had seen a crack in that facade.

"What?" she wanted to know. It made her extremely uncomfortable to be stared at like this.

"Nothing. Just surprised you actually kept your promise after all. Missed me, did you?" He carefully touched her face, moving a stray piece of hair. She batted his hand away.

"Don't start that," she began. Kara didn't like opening up for most people. The only people she trusted besides herself were the Adamas. And now maybe one handsome man named Samuel T. Anders. He began kissing her throat. Then moved to her belly. Starbuck started to giggle from the quivers she was experiencing.

Lee was squirming just watching them. He_ so _wanted to reach out and choke Six, so he could walk out of the room and get them off of this fracking planet!

"Okay, okay, okay, Sam. Yeah. I missed you, all right! The past two months I've been thinking about that promise that I made and wondering if you were dead or alive. Hey, you down there...are you even listening?"

Anders' voice was a little muffled as he responded.  
"Heard every word. Now shut up, will you? I'm trying to work here."

She laughed out loud. "Do a good job and you might get paid."

"Might?" he stopped again. "I'm counting on it."

Turning to look at the Six model, he pushed back against the gun at his head.  
"What? Is that what you wanted me to see? One of my pilots fracking a celebrity? Listen, you stupid toaster, I've seen your kind before. You can't frak with my head that way, so you're wasting your time."

Six grabbed him by the throat and slammed his face up against the glass with a resounding thud. The lovers on the other side, in the throes of passion, did not take notice.

"I said, Enjoy the show. The show's not over, Captain Adama. Keep watching."  
He did, helpless as they were reaching their climax. The door opened, and the Cylon known as Doral, followed by two centurions, entered the room.

"No! Kara! Kara! Starbuck, Look OUT!"

"Enough. Let's go. Let him go, I said!"

Thud. The world was becoming black again as he succumbed to the darkness the blow to his head had provided him. But not before he uttered one word.

"Zak...?"

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"Apollo. Apollo…Lee! Wake up! Lee! I don't understand. What was he doing in here anyway?"

Anders pulled back the curtain. He could see into the room they'd just left, and the bodies of Doral and the Centurions lying on the ground.

"From the looks of it, he was watching us. Nice shot by the way."

Kara was completely confused.

"Thanks. Watching us? Why? That's just not like Lee. No," she said, looking around the room. "Someone or something was in here with him. Helo?"

"Right here," sticking his head into the room. "Whaddya need?"

"Set up a perimeter. We need one set of guards here and one set to go out and scout the raptor. You know what? Frak that. Set up a perimeter, and as soon as Apollo can walk, we're getting the frak off this gods forsaken planet."

Helo nodded. "Yes sir."

Anders grabbed her right shoulder.

"Sorry about your friend. How many people can you fit into that thing, besides you three?"

"Seven."

"Kara, we've got at least fourteen that need to get off this rock…."

She whipped around to look at him. "Look. I left you once before and I'm not leaving you here again. Let somebody else be their leader for once! No arguments, you got that!"

Lee was beginning to stir below her. His head was aching so badly that it hurt just to move. Fracking toasters, he thought. Wait a second, Starbuck….

"Starbuck!" He called aloud, moving wildly about. She turned to help him off the ground.

"Starbuck, you're okay?"

"Yeah, I am. What about you?" Kara looked him over to make sure there was no permanent damage.

"Are you sure, Kara?" He continued, holding onto the wall for support. "Dora…."

Kara pointed at the window. "Toast, in a manner of speaking. What, do you think I can't take care of myself? You're the one who looks like he needs watching, not us."

Again, Lee's color began to rise. Sensing the awkwardness of the situation, Anders stepped into the conversation.

"Taggart saw them coming toward the office. Owe the old man our lives." He smiled. "That, and I always keep something special stashed under the pillow, just in case," he said as he fingered his pistol. "She's a pretty good shot," he continued, looking at her appreciatively.

Lee agreed. "Just wait until you see her in a cockpit."

He tried to stand alone, but he had a pretty good concussion. The two had to hold him upright as they walked down the hallway to his bunk.

"What happened to you?" Kara began as they laid him on the bed. "I don't think you suddenly spazzed out and hit your head, though I guess I would if I were in your place, watching me, um, well…." She finished sarcastically.

Lee took her hand. Anders looked away and took this as his cue to leave them alone for a minute.

"I'm gonna go check on Helo and how it goes at the perimeter."

Apollo nodded. "Thanks."

"No problem. Can't be letting any more of those toasters creep around here, can we?"

After Anders left, Lee began again.

"Kara. I don't know what I would have done if something had happened to you."

She laughed. "Yeah. Tell me how you'd explain it to the Old Man."

He looked up at her again, making her uncomfortable.

"No, Kara. Seriously, I wouldn't. First Zak, then my mother. I couldn't lose you, too." He looked back down at the floor. "Shelley Godfrey was here."

"What?" Her face got very serious. "What do you mean, Godfrey was here?"

He sat up a bit. "Not her, exactly…. A copy of her model. That….THING was here. Not just Doral. They grabbed me in the gymnasium and brought me here so I could…well, you know; watch you two!"

"Why the frak would a toaster care if you saw me fracking someone, Lee? That just makes no sense!"

He laid his head back down. Holding it up to talk to her was just taking too much effort.

"To frak with my head, I'm guessing! She told me to 'enjoy the show!' I think they were going to execute you and they wanted me to watch." Starbuck rolled her eyes. He became even more annoyed. "I don't know why! Does it look like I understand any of these damn things? As far as I know they wanted to kill all of us, but maybe they wanted to play a little first."

Starbuck stood up straight.

"They wanted me, Lee. They wanted me. They were probably going to shoot him and take me and they wanted you to feel completely helpless."

Apollo didn't get it. "Why? Why would they want to take you, Kara? That is what makes no sense."

"Because Sharon…because the last time we were here, Helo's girlfriend said that I was special…. That I have a 'Destiny', whatever the frak that's supposed to mean. I just say we get the hell out of here as soon as we can and don't look back. Agreed?"

"Yeah, sure. And just how do you propose we get out of here? These people can't hike all the way back to the Raptor. And in case you hadn't noticed, we can't take all of them, either."

Starbuck looked up at the sky. "Lords of Kobol…" she began, looking back down again. "We can only take seven. Taggart, his daughter and grandson, Anders…. That leaves room for three more, Lee. There are no more kids here, so we're going to have to draw straws."

She hated the idea of leaving all these people here. "We should've brought Sharon with us…dammit! Get some rest, Lee. I'll come back and get you when we're ready."

He tried to rise again, but she pushed him back down on the bunk.

"Your pain is my pleasure. Isn't that what you said to me?" she whispered in his ear. "Rest! I'll be back."

Giving up, he relaxed onto the sheets. Watching her walk away, he wondered why he hadn't told her…. Told her about hearing Zak's voice.

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The Raptor was in the clear. It took a few minutes for her to remember how to lift off in the thing, but she thought she was doing okay.

"Just like riding a horse…bike. Whatever!"

Her two male companions laughed out loud. Anders was holding on for dear life.  
"Is she always like this?"

Helo laughed out even louder.

"What!" she demanded. Kara Thrace did not enjoy being made fun of.

The ECO was shaking in his seat. He obviously found it very amusing. "Let's just say that you've never been subtle, Starbuck. It's not exactly like flying a Viper. That's why you're in charge of training Viper pilots; not Raptor pilots."

He had ticked Kara off. "Yeah, well, I'm not programmed to be smooth, Helo."

His smile vanished. "After all she's done for you, you still can't get past it, can you?"

The Raptor dipped violently. "No Helo, I can't just get past it. Her race's entire existence is based on destroying ours. It's gonna take a little more time than that!"

Anders turned to the both of them as he pulled his restraining belt tighter. "Hey, let's just keep to the mission at hand. Let's get off Caprica so you can show me this home of yours, okay? No more arguing."

"Fine!" they barked in unison.

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The Raptor made a safe, if bumpy landing outside of the school. Taggart and the others were standing outside, ready to go. Apollo had ignored Starbuck and risen shortly after they'd left.

She began yelling at everyone to get inside. "Helo, we got any activity?"

"No, nothing on radar as of yet. Not even a whisper. It's a little weird. Too quiet…." He trailed off.

Apollo didn't like the sound of that. He jumped into the Raptor. "Let's go Starbuck. Something's up. The faster we get the frak out of here the better." He turned to the ECO. "Helo, keep your eyes open."

He made his way to the front. Anders quickly gave up the co-pilot's seat. "Thanks."

The sky was eerily clear before them. No movement above or below. "Maybe they're off our radar."

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Far below, somewhere in the woods, Six, Doral and Sharon were watching them leave.

"Let them go," he began to an unwilling Six. "Sometimes it is good to sit and watch for a while. Besides, he'll keep us updated."

Six wasn't convinced. Her attitude was conveyed through her stance. "You're so sure, are you? What if they find him?"

"They won't," replied Sharon. "He'll be dead before they do."

"Sacrifice for the greater good, hmm?" Six did not like it, but it was a fair idea.

"One of us will make sure he's long gone before they figure it out. Let's go." Doral finished. Sharon began to lead the way back toward the small school. "We have work to do."

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The trip back to Galactica was blissfully short.

"Galactica, this is Apollo. Request to speak to Galactica Actual."

Dee let go a sigh of relief with the communication. They had been gone almost an entire day and the Old Man was starting to pace back and forth. "Commander, Apollo requests to speak to Actual."

Adama's eyebrow cocked to one side. "Patch him through," he said gruffly, trying not to reveal the worry that had begun to eat at him.

Dee nodded. "Apollo, this is Galactica. Go ahead."

The Commander responded before the Captain could open his mouth.  
"Apollo, where were you? Did you encounter any of the enemy?"

Apollo smiled before responding. "Yes, Commander, we did. But…we came bearing gifts."

His father was not amused. "I'll see you on the flight deck. Colonel Tigh, you have the CIC."

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When the Raptor came to a halt, Adama and a security detail were waiting for them. He had his usual calm but aggravated stance; as if he wished his son were still a boy, so he could give Lee a good spanking.

The hatch opened. Out climbed a small boy – Taggart's grandson – and his young mother. They were followed by a young man – a surgical resident sure to become useful to Doc Cottle. As they squinted their eyes in the bright lights of the flight deck, they were followed by a carefully watchful Starbuck. She appeared a little sheepish as she saluted Adama.

The Commander returned the salute, griping beneath his breath, "I should have known you were behind this."

"Thank you, sir," she muttered in return. Kara turned back to the Raptor. "May I present…."

Adama beat her to the punch. "Charlie Taggart! Thank the gods."

"Bill, Bill Adama," the other man said as he heartily shook the Commander's hand. "Haven't lost any of your grip, son."

Two more men and a middle-aged woman followed Taggart, with Apollo and Helo bringing up the rear. Almost the entire deck crew recognized Anders from his Pyramid games. There were audible gasps and whispers coming from Tyrol's men and women.  
The Commander wasn't going to let that last long.

"This is a military vessel. Quiet! I expect you to conduct yourselves as such."

Tyrol started shooing his crew about, trying to find them something to do while also keeping an eye on the others. It made Anders extremely uncomfortable to be watched this way.

Again the Commander spoke. "So. The Captain of the Caprica Buccaneers is here to grace my ship? How is it that we've managed that?"

Before Anders could respond, Lee interjected. "Well…we jumped to…."

The look his father gave him shut him up quickly. That old family eyebrow cocked to one side again. Even so, he began to be amused.

"Let me see if I can get this right, shall we?" he began. "Helo and Apollo, you were sent on a jump, but apparently stowed away one Lt. Kara Thrace. To do so means you had the assistance of Chief Tyrol, and if not him," as Tyrol looked the other way, "his deck crew. Am I right so far?"

Starbuck looked ready to burst, wanting to explain.

"Quiet." He growled.

Taggart looked ready to roll on the floor with laughter. He was enjoying seeing his old friend at work.

"Now, after being cleared to jump, you went to Caprica, against orders, instead of your designated coordinates. The first time you went to Caprica, it was with a specific purpose. Please explain to me why one of my Raptors chanced a jump there this time, again without any permission?"

Anders stepped forward. "I think I can explain that, sir. Lt. Thrace made a promise and then she kept it. We couldn't get more people off because we ran into too many problems with the toasters, Sir."

"Then you shall join Helo and Apollo in the briefing room in ten minutes, Mr. Anders. Starbuck," he motioned to the waiting security detail. "You've just earned yourself another stay in the brig."

"Just like old times," she released sarcastically. "How long this time, sir?"

Adama looked down his nose at her. "That depends on what I get out of your friends here." He motioned again and she was escorted off. The Commander turned his attention to the three men before him.

"Gentlemen…."

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Starbuck had to spend two weeks in the brig, while Anders, Taggart and the others got transferred to the Rising Star. Apollo and Helo didn't escape punishment. They were both sentenced by Commander Adama to pull two weeks in the brig as well, only they had to do it two days at a time. With Galatica's Viper pilot trainer in hack, he couldn't put his other two senior-most pilots in at the same time; it was bad for morale. While Helo looked at his time as having fringe benefits in the form of being closer to Sharon, Apollo found his to be a minor annoyance. He was constantly being taunted by Kara.

"Thinking of making this a habit? Hmm? Galactica's CAG taking up permanent residence in the brig," she giggled. "No, seriously," the laughter increasing more at the anger in his expression. "They…they're gonna think I'm a bad influence on you! Ha-ha-ha!"

"Shut up, Starbuck." Lee was so ready to get out of there. "That's an order, Lieutenant."

"Yes sir, Captain Adama, sir." Kara gave him a quick salute.

The door opened with a loud thud. "Oh goody, lunchtime." She feigned interest. "The only thing worse than lunch in the mess hall is lunch in hack." The closer the food got, the less interest it held for her. Lee noticed her aversion to it. He had noticed since the day before. In fact, she'd barely touched the food since they'd brought her to the brig, and the lack of nourishment was beginning to show.

"Kara, you need to eat," he said, concerned as she pushed it away. "You're losing weight. I can tell the difference since we've come back from Caprica."

"Lay off, Lee!" she replied angrily as she held onto her abdomen. "I can't stand the food here, that's all. I'll be fine tomorrow when we get out of here and I can eat what I want in the officer's quarters, okay?"

"Starbuck, you can't…." He didn't get to finish.

"Frak off, Lee! I can take care of myself, gods dammit!" She curled up on her bunk, moaning as she held onto her stomach. It had begun to hurt again.

Lee was still worried, though. "Starbuck? Kara, what really happened on Caprica?" She didn't answer. Frak it. He wouldn't let it get to him. She's got that Pyramid to look after her. Speak of the devil.

One of the guards was letting Anders into the brig. He nodded towards Lee who continued to look at him with indifference. His chilly attitude was not missed by Kara.

"Gods, men can be so stupid," she said aloud. Apollo turned away quickly so she couldn't see the disappointment on his face.

"Hey you." She reached through the bars to hold Sam's hand. "How's the celebrity life treating you?"

"Don't even mention it. It's been giving me a headache," he replied, shifting his weight. "And that damned Playa Palacios, always chasing me around; asking me why I'm always visiting the Galactica. What are my plans for the future? Do I have a girlfriend? The list goes on and on…."

Starbuck was feeling a little devilish. Partly to get a straight answer, and partly to drive Lee, who was listening intently, she knew, absolutely insane. "Do you?"

"Do I what?"

"Do you have a girlfriend," she said, with an evil grin on her lips.

Anders smiled gently at her. He pretended to give it a few minutes thought, looking up at the ceiling before replying. "I don't know, do I?" He questioned her.

Kara smiled back. "That's something we'll have to talk about when I get out of this place. Want to have lunch tomorrow?"

Lee spoke up quickly.

"You can't."

She spun around. "What do you mean, I can't?"

He didn't even lift his head. "You can't because you have the second shift of CAP tomorrow."

"Oh come on! My first day out and I have to fly the CAP? Whose idea was that one?" she asked, kicking the bars in front of her with her foot. "Ow! Dammit!"

Apollo couldn't help but grin on the inside as he calmly responded.  
"I did. Thought you'd want to get right back in the cockpit after two weeks out. Sorry…I didn't know you had a social calendar."

"Frak you, Lee. Payback's a bitch."

Anders shook his head back and forth, barely suppressing a grin.  
"Kara, I'll be on Cloud Nine all week, and doing some demonstrations here on the Galactica on odd days. Just come look for me. I'm sure I'll be in the vicinity of that dumb reporter, anyway. If you can't find me, look for her."

"Fine. I'll find you later." She was a little deflated.

"Take care out there guys. I've got to go. Autograph session in the mess hall," he said as he began to leave. She looked at him in disbelief.

"Who made that happen?" she asked.

He stopped to reply before the guard let him out.

"Some people up in CIC. Gaeta…and…Dualla? I think those were their names. See ya." He waved goodbye.

_**zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz**_

Kara stood there for a moment, watching Lee as he feigned sleep. He once had said that he loved her, but she hadn't taken him that seriously. His reaction to Anders' presence made her think on it again. Doesn't matter anyway, it would never work, because of….

"Because of Zak," she said aloud, as she laid her head on her pillow. In no time, she was sound asleep.

I wonder what that was about. He rolled over to watch her sleep. It was the most peaceful he'd ever seen her. Zak…. I still didn't tell her about Zak.

Would he ever?

_**zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz**_

****

Starbuck never made it to the CAP. Kat ran patrol twice to cover her shift. Most of the day was spent with her head over the porcelain god. Oh gods, not again!

She hurled what contents were in her stomach to be vented out into space. All she'd had was some plain cereal and a glass of juice. She couldn't even keep that down.

"Starbuck?" came Commander Adama's voice.

Frak. She visualized herself in his eyes…head over the toilet bowl, stringy hair hanging in her face; pale complexion beginning to turn a little green.

"Sir, yes sir," she managed to mutter before the next wave kicked in.

Adama looked closely at his best pilot. She looked horrible. He put an arm under her and lifted her up.

"Sir," she began to protest.

"Can you walk, Lieutenant? Or do I need to get you a stretcher?"

She shook her head.

"Then you're going to sickbay, now. According to the CAG, you avoided going when you came back from Caprica the first time. I've already called Doc Cottle to come back from the Rising Star. Let's go. That's an order, Starbuck."

They walked slowly down the hall together, Kara leaning onto Commander Adama for support. Like father and daughter.

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****

Doc Cottle pushed open the curtain, looking at her disdainfully, cigarette hanging from his lips.

"Gracing us with your presence again, Lieutenant Thrace? Or haven't you got enough of my charming good looks?"

"Everybody's a frakking comedian," she spit out sarcastically, hoping the look on her face conveyed what she was thinking. "Just tell me what the hell I ate in that damned cell that made me so sick, and how the frak to get rid of it."

Cottle look out the corner of his eye while also looking at the newest edition to her already lengthy chart. "Let me do a physical exam. Just lie back and I'm going to push down on your stomach."

Kara clenched her eyes shut, knowing what was coming. He prodded around, starting at her ribcage and moving down to her pelvis. He lifted up the edge of her dressing gown.

"Care to tell me what this is all about, Lieutenant?"

She groaned. "I don't know, Doc. I ran into a little trouble while I was on Caprica. I don't know what it is, or what they did to me." She shifted uncomfortably. "The one on the top right is where a bullet was removed. The other one…well, your guess is as good as mine is."

Chewing on the edge of his cigarette, he stood there, thinking. _Why doesn't he just spit it out?_ Tired of waiting, she swung her legs over the edge of the bed. "If you're finished…."

"Not so fast, young lady," he replied. "I want to run a scan of your stomach."

Starbuck didn't like the idea of that. Tight enclosed spaces, outside of a cockpit, had a tendency to remind her of her mother.

_**zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz**_

"Clean bill of health? Are you sure?"

"Yes, Bill. Something she ate, after having ignored food altogether for several days, made her sick. Simple as that. If she continues to have symptoms, just send her back this way. I would recommend that she get a little more rest, though."

"All right, then." He looked over at the pilot in question. "Do you hear him, Starbuck? Rest. Take it easy for today. I'll have Lee find a replacement for tomorrow's CAP. After that you can go back on flight rotation."

"Yes, Sir."

"Dismissed."

With an easy salute, she turned on her heel and headed back down the corridor. Lee sidled up beside her about two minutes later.

"Where ya headed?"

Kara took a quick look at him, noticing how nice he looked in his sweats. "I don't know; you?"

He tried to keep up as she quickened her pace. "Thought I'd get a little exercise in the gym. Wanna come?"

She shrugged. "Sure. Since I'm off CAP for two days, might as well find something to do in this coffin."

"For two days? Says who?"

"Says the Old Man," she laughed. "Cottle said I need to rest; he didn't say I couldn't exercise…just no work."

When they got to the gym, the hatch was shut.

"That's odd." Lee knew for a fact that the door was always open. "Let me get it."

He pushed open the hatch and was surprised by what he saw. "Starbuck, wait…."

Kara moved past him, and felt the disappointment in her begin to rise. Anders and Dee had each other in a rather compromising position. The former looked up at their entrance.

"Thrace. Wait! Thrace, let me explain…."

Anders' words fell on deaf ears. Lee tried to hide his smirk as he followed her. When he caught her, she was fighting the tears that were ready to burst.

"Lee, don't…." Her eyes and nose were already read, from the strain of holding them back. This was not what she had expected out of Sam, ever in her wildest dreams.

Apollo leaned into her and put his arms around her. "It's alright, Kara. Come on. Let's head back to quarters."

She sighed, and they walked together, Lee supporting her as they went. She rested her head on his shoulder. Lee helped her to sit down on his bunk. For once, they were alone.

"Hey, Starbuck. Everything is going to be okay." He sat down beside her and put his arm around her. "I'm here for you, whenever you need me."

"I know, Lee." She leaned over and buried her head in his lap. This way she felt safe and secure. Kara knew he loved her now, and she was pretty sure she loved him. "Lee?" she began, raising her head to look at him. "Lee, I…did you mean it?"

"Mean what?"

She smiled. "Did you mean it when you said you loved a screw-up like me?"

He looked down into her eyes, searching. He found what he was looking for.

"Yes Kara. I meant it when I said I love you. I always have, and somehow I always will." Lee bent over and kissed her; a long, slow kiss. He brought his head up to look at her again, making sure that she was okay with it.

"Lee. Come here." Kara pulled him down with her.

_**zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz**_

The next six weeks passed pretty calmly. Lee and Kara were in and out of rotation, stealing looks at each other here and there. They had a little private time together, more than once. But they made sure they didn't spend too much time alone.

Dee avoided Starbuck at every turn. She would leave the exercise room if Kara came in. She would take another corridor if they happened to cross paths. It had become a little amusing for Lieutenant Thrace. At least once a week, Sam tried to stop her to talk to her, but she kept on walking. Nobody could hold a grudge like Kara Thrace. _Well, maybe Lee Adama._

Anders did manage to corner him, though. Lee saw the man coming from the corridor to his right. He knew that talking to him would be inevitable. Lee stopped walking and waited for him to catch up.

"Captain Adama, may I have a word?" The Pyramid captain's voice was shaky. Apollo turned to look at him closely; the dark circles under his eyes, the fact that the man appeared to have lost some weight.

"How can I help you, Anders?" Lee waited to see what BS explanation he would offer up.

"I need to talk to Lieutenant Thrace, but she won't stand still or she just plain ignores me when I'm right next to her."

A half smile crossed Apollo's lips. "Can you blame her?"

Anders looked ready to cry. He'd been frustrated with the situation for six weeks, and no one would listen to him. "I didn't do anything wrong, Captain. Ask Petty Officer Dualla. Remember that I said we were doing demonstrations? She tripped me up, said it was something she'd learned from you. I just happened to fall on top of her. She went and kissed me…not the other way around!"

Apollo's smile disappeared. "Are you serious? Are you telling me the truth?"

Sam sighed. This had been his last ditch effort; to come and talk to Lee Adama, his obvious competition. "Yes. I am serious. I am telling the truth. If you don't believe me, go and ask Dualla. Unless you think she'd lie to you?"

Lee was thinking about what he said. Dualla wouldn't lie to him, that was for sure.

"Okay. How about I give you the benefit of the doubt until I've talked to Dee. Then maybe, maybe I'll get Starbuck to talk to you. Okay?"

At this point Anders was grasping for straws. Lee was his only hope. He reached out to shake the Captain's hand.

"Thank you Captain Adama. I'll be waiting."

Lee watched the man as he walked away, head appearing to be held a little higher than when he arrived. Lee shook his head as he went off to find Dee.

_**zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz**_

Starbuck again found herself in sick bay. She hadn't been able to force herself to eat. The pain in her abdomen had returned, followed by the most horrible nausea.

"Hello again, Lieutenant. Isn't there anything I can do to just make you stay away?" Cottle had run some lab tests while Kara had been waiting. He looked down at the chart, then back again at her. "Lean back, I'm gonna feel you up again."

Kara sighed as she lay back upon the table. She was getting tired of coming in here. The medicinal smell alone was enough to keep her away. "So Doc, what's the verdict? Do I have a parasite, or what?"

The doctor looked at her with a wry smile. "You could say that."

She didn't like the way that sounded. "What the frak is that supposed to mean?"

"It means, Lieutenant Thrace," he began in response to the increasingly confused look on her face; "you'll be coming to see me more often. You see, you're…."

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"Pregnant? How did this happen?" Lee couldn't believe his ears. _Starbuck…pregnant._ It took his father saying it three times before Lee took him seriously.

Commander Adama had never looked so serious and so…disappointed. "I was hoping you could tell me, son."

"I…I…what?" His father was staring at him intently. "I don't know how this happened dad…I really don't. Kara said she was taking her meds…I don't know how…."

Bill Adama was amused. He figured his own son knew enough about the birds and the bees to use a condom. Apparently, he had assumed too much.  
"Just so we're clear, son."

Lee was still shaking his head in disbelief. "Come with me dad. I want to know what's going on."

He marched down to find Starbuck in the infirmary, but she wasn't there. Lee looked around and only found Cottle writing notes into her chart. The doctor looked appropriately annoyed at the interruption.

"What, you were expecting someone else?"

"How many weeks is she, Cottle?" The Commander wasted no time. He and his son waited patiently as the doctor took a long drag from his cigarette.

"Can't tell you," he blew out.

"Can't…or won't?" growled the elder Adama.

"Won't. It's the patient's privacy we're talking about here."

Adama got up in his face. "That patient you're talking about is one of my men, under my command!"

Cottle didn't miss a step. "Don't try that with me Bill. Your first wife gave birth in my operating room to that boy over there," he said, acknowledging Apollo. "It didn't work then, and it's not going to work now. If you want to know, I suggest you go and ask the patient. I've got work to do. Please, get out." He went back to puffing on his cigarette and making notes.

Apollo turned to his father. "Dad," he began, touching his arm. "Let me go look for her. She might be afraid that you're too disappointed in her."

"Fine." Commander Adama was already irritated.

_**zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz**_

Apollo knew just where to look. He made his was to the Galactica museum; closed off since the Centurions had boarded. Sure enough, Kara Thrace was sitting in a corner of the gift shop, looking out at the stars. She was so lost in her own thoughts that she didn't hear him enter.

"Kara," he began softly. She turned to look at him, her eyes swollen and nose red from crying.

"Lee, I…." She turned and looked out the windows again. "Tell me how the frak I'm going to be a mother."

"How far along Kara? How long until…?"

She laughed. Not from happiness, but because she was utterly depressed. "Let's just say that Colonial Day isn't the only thing we'll be celebrating seven months from now."

"We have options…."

She shook her head violently as she wiped away the latest round of tears. "Don't start that crap, Lee. For starters, it's my body, not yours. It is also against the laws of the gods! I'm not going to end an innocent life for no good reason. I…I can't and I won't. Don't even think about mentioning that again."

Apollo didn't know what to do. His life was beginning to read like a bad soap opera. Here in front of him was his best friend…his brother's ex-fiancée…the woman he loved most in the world. He'd just finished talking to her ex-lover, who was begging for another chance. _Why the frak does this always happen to me?_ He slid down the wall and took a seat beside her.

"I talked to Anders today."

Kara looked over at him, wondering what he brought that up for. Anders was currently the last thing on her mind.

"I also talked to Dee," he continued, his voice sounding deflated. "You need to talk to him, Kara. At least forgive him."

She looked down at her fingers, bloody from where she'd been pulling at the cuticles. "Now, tell me why I should do that."

Lee hoped he wasn't making the biggest mistake of his life. "Because nothing happened between them, Kara. Nothing except for Dee making a huge mistake and kissing a man who wasn't the least bit interested in her."

Kara's head pulled up at this. She couldn't believe what he was saying. "And why should I believe you? Why are you telling me this, anyway?"

"Because I love you. And because life from here on is going to be difficult enough without you being stressed out over something like that. You need to be healthy for the baby."

"Lee? What are we going to do? I'm a Viper pilot, for gods' sakes. A battlestar is no place to bring up a child, but I don't want to give this up, either."

He shook his head, a grim look upon his features.

"I don't know, Kara. I just don't know."

Lee pulled her closer to him, placing a soft kiss on her forehead. And they sat there, for the longest time, just looking out at the stars.

_**zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz**_

Four months had passed, and Kara still hadn't gotten used to her new belly. She smiled as she felt Lee's hand reach down to touch it. The Raptor made a bumpy landing as it touched down on Cloud Nine's landing bay.

"Helo, are you really that rusty in piloting this thing? I could get you some lessons, if you want."

"Ha-ha. Very funny, Apollo. Just try and have a good day. I should be back around 19:00 hours, barring a Cylon attack or if Sharon goes into labor."

Kara grimaced as she felt the acid rise in her throat. Doc Cottle had said her nausea should have gone away by now. But Helo mistook the look she gave. "Oh, look at it this way, Starbuck…. We'll be able to bring our kids here together to play in the park; spit up and all."

The thought did bring a smile to her lips. Apollo put a hand to the small of her back and gently nudged her toward the hatch. "Come on Kara. We've got some shopping to do. Cloud Nine has some of the best shops in the fleet."

She rolled her eyes and shot him a look that told him she knew what a load of bull that was.

"Okay…so they have the only shops in the fleet," he sighed. "And…we'll be lucky if we find anything that even fits."

Kara smiled wickedly at him, then back at Helo. "19:00, right? And Helo? Don't be late this time."

Helo waved goodbye to them as the hatch shut slowly. "Everybody's a critic."

As they made their way to the convention center, they noticed a small crowd gathered out front. Kara saw him the same time Lee did. She shook her head and with a little wave started walking a little quickly. Kara and Anders had already had their talk. Not much had come from it. He'd had a little trouble dealing with the fact that she was pregnant by her best friend. By the look she'd seen on his face, she knew then that she'd broken his heart.

Kara reached out and tugged Lee's arm. "Come on flyboy. We've got work to do."

They spent several hours perusing what clothes were there. Kara picked up one pair of sweats with a drawstring closure, and some yarn and needles. Lee found it more than just a little amusing. "The great Starbuck, a knitter?"

"Lee Adama, I have many hidden talents. But the kid's hungry. _Right now_. There's only one thing I need, and that's food!"

Lee grabbed the bag from her hands and held open the door for her. "After you. I know a nice little café, right in front of a fake horizon."

Not ten minutes into the meal, Kara felt the urge. "Frak, not again." She tried her best not to fall off the stool. "Gotta go to the head. Frak."

"Watch your mouth, Thrace. Your luck and frak is gonna be the kid's first word."

Kara rolled her eyes. "Remind me of that one when I go into labor, Lee. I plan on using it a lot."

As Lee watched her go, he imagined what Starbuck would be like in a labor and delivery room. He physically shuddered at the thought.

_What's taking her so long?_ His food was growing cold, and Kara had been longer than her customary five minute bathroom trip. And unless she was vomiting, longer than five minutes was a little too much for a pregnant pilot to be gone to the head.

He decided to go check on her. As he rounded the corner to the women's bathroom, a familiar face appeared in his view. "Hello Lee."

The bathroom door opened and Kara watched in horror as she saw Simon come up from behind and hit Lee in the head, knocking him unconscious. From her vantage point, she still hadn't seen the other person.

The Six copy laughed as she held Lieutenant Thrace tighter, muffling her screams with a well placed hand. The human woman slowly began to relax as the injection Simon had given her began to take effect.

Two Cylon agents looked up at a third, who had the limp body of Lee Adama thrown over one shoulder. "Bring her."

Six looked through the slits of her envious eyes and spoke begrudgingly. "By your command."

_**zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz**_

"Captain Adama, wake up." No response. Apollo was slumped, leaning backwards in a chair.

"Captain Adama, wake up!" Still nothing.

"Captain Lee Adama, atten-tion!"

Apollo's head snapped up. _Wrong move. _His head was throbbing like it was going to explode. Lee bent forward to put his head between his legs as a wave of nausea hit him. Bad move again. "Frak, that hurts!"

"It should, Captain Adama. An unfortunate side effect of the blow Simon gave you to the back of your head."

Lee looked in front of him, opening one eye, then the other, letting them adjust to the light. He saw the Cylon known as Doral, causing anger and panic to rise in unison inside his chest. Behind him were the Cylons known to Lee as Shelley Godfrey and apparently the other was Simon. They stood there; waiting.

"What are you waiting for? Where is she?"

Simon smiled. Shelley grinned. Doral, on the other hand, was not amused. "All in good time," he said, barely containing the growl in his voice. It was no secret that his model held nothing but contempt and disdain for the human race. He was tired of having to be a great actor and hiding it.

From the shadows came a familiar voice. "Leave us. Now."

Quietly, the three left the room, pulling the door behind them. As the door clicked shut, the owner of the voice came into the light.

"Hello brother."

Apollo expected an initial wave of shock to hit him. But it never came. Somehow, he had known when he heard the voice back on Caprica. "Zak. But I doubt that you're my brother. You're just a frakking copy!"

The younger Adama smiled. "Well, that's one hurdle we don't have to jump. Hmm…. But you would be interested to know, I wasn't supposed to be a copy."

If that was supposed to get Lee's attention, it worked. The older young man looked straight at his Cylon 'brother'. Again, that disarming Zak Adama smile he was so familiar with. It laughed.

"That particular copy wasn't supposed to die. It hadn't finished its mission yet."

"Mission, what mission?" He didn't expect Zak to answer him. Cylons were famous for not answering questions; not truthfully, at least.

"Ah, yes…the mission." As if on cue, the door opened. From behind, Starbuck was shoved into the room. She didn't get a look at the other man's face. She was too busy looking at Lee.

"Lee!" The yell ripped loose from inside her. She fell down on her knees in front of him, kissing his hands…looking earnestly into his eyes. She sobbed out the next sentence. "Are you okay?"

"Oh, he's fine, Kara. Probably suffering from the equivalent of a really bad hangover; but unfortunately, he'll live," Zak finished with an up note to his voice.

Ever so slowly, Kara turned, her face as white as a sheet. "Lee…what the frak is going on?" She saw the face of Zak Adama before her. "You're dead!" Then realization set in. "You're a Cylon? You're a Cylon! L-Lee? Lee, tell me how your brother is a Cylon?" She whipped back around to look at Apollo.

His face was blank. He had no idea. Lee understood the thing he thought had been his brother was a Cylon. _But how?_ Not to mention…. Why?

"Gotta hand it to you, brother. You actually managed to do it."

"Get to your point, Zak…."

Kara was amazed at Lee's calm. He took her hand in his and squeezed it tightly for reassurance. Zak turned around toward the door, then back to the two frightened people in front of him.

"You never were one for riddles and games, were you, Lee? Or were you? Ah…Kara…. If you only knew how much I loved you…. How much that copy of me loved you!" He spat the words out like acid. "We thought the Zak model was the only one that was flawed enough to succumb to human emotions. But God has proven us wrong before." He continued in a mocking voice. "And then there was Sharon."

The scraping noise he made dragging a metal chair across the floor was enough to abruptly bring Kara out of the haze she had been sitting in. She had been staring on the floor, vaguely aware of her surroundings. She absentmindedly put one hand to her stomach as she felt the flutter of the baby kicking. The movement didn't go unnoticed by Zak. He smiled a broad smile.

"The great and all-powerful Starbuck. Pregnant by my wonderful older brother. The same age is more like it." His teeth gleamed at her quizzical look. "And as a favor to him and to Zak; your Zak," he said pointedly to Kara. "I'll let you in on a few little details that are sure to make your brains itch!"

Zak rose from the chair and stopped about two inches in front of her. Kara thought he was so close to her that she could smell his breath.

"You, Kara Thrace. No matter what you previously thought…you are not, and never were, responsible for the death of Zak Adama." He waited for her initial shock to turn to anger. Then he continued. "That particular copy killed himself, because he loved you."

"Frak you-you frakking Cylon! Leave her alone!"

"Oh, dear brother…get a new life." The Cylon was looking intently at Lee. He could see the twitching start behind his eyes…the confusion had begun. "The Zak you all knew as your brother, he really did love Kara Thrace. But when he started having dark thoughts like your…what was she called? Oh yes, Boomer. He crashed his Viper." He focused his attention back on Kara. "He loved you **so** much that he couldn't complete his mission."

Starbuck's head shot up. The tears had been flowing for some time. Between ragged breaths, she managed to reach up with both hands and wipe her face clean. She reached down again to hold Lee's hand for strength. Lee could feel the anger boiling in her blood.

"Frak you, Zak! Frak you, and your god, and your frakking mission!"

The laughter started softly. Then slowly, it grew louder…and louder.

"But Kara, my dear," he said, rather sarcastically. "…the mission is already complete." Zak looked pointedly at the growing belly holding her and Lee's child.

"No." Kara rose and let go of Lee's hand with a jerk. She understood the meaning of his riddles and words much quicker than it dawned with Lee. "That would mean…."

"That he's a Cylon, too." Anders had quietly opened the door. He stood there, one gun trained on Zak, the other on Lee. He'd been listening long enough from outside the door. And he'd been watching Captain Adama's facial twitch, too. He'd suspected as much. "Kara…Kara, get over here, with me."

She started to move forward. Lee reached out to touch her and she recoiled instinctively. He grabbed his aching head. Zak was standing there, a wide, knowing grin on his face.  
A tiny little voice escaped from Starbuck's throat.

"Sam?"

Anders nodded. He knew she wanted to know how he had gotten there, how he'd found them. And more importantly, how he'd known to come.

"Some of these guys aren't so good at the stealth thing. That blonde chick? The one we saw before? I thought it was bad when I saw one of her, then a second…and a third? Then I saw him." He nodded toward Zak. "Remember when you showed me his picture? You told me he was dead. I figured dead men don't just get up two years later and start walking around…do they?" He trained the pistol on Lee a little more carefully. "I followed him here, and I've been waiting for the best time to get through the toasters and get you out of here. Time to go, Kara."

"Kara…don't…." Lee's words fell on deaf ears. She was too busy with the ringing inside her own; the thoughts buzzing around her brain. Starbuck was now on autopilot, and self-preservation was key.

"Kara, please!"

Anders slowly backed out of the room, handing his pistols to Kara long enough to put something large in front of the door to bar it. The last thing Lee saw as he pressed his face to the glass window, was Anders…guiding Kara by the elbow away from there. _Away from him._

Sam led Kara to the landing bay. There was a Raptor there waiting for them. He looked down at her. "I called Helo the moment I knew something was up."

Helo looked towards the hatch. He noticed she had begun shaking. "Thrace, you okay?"

Truth was, she could barely stand. It had all come at her so fast – Lee, Zak, the Cylons, the baby…. She didn't know what to believe anymore.

"Don't worry, babe. She'll be fine."

When Sharon spoke, Kara lost it. Sam had to hold onto her to keep her from hurting herself, or anybody else. He pulled his former lover up close against him.

"Helo, let's get out of here."

"Okay. Let's go."

But they didn't go back to Galactica. And for the moment, that was just fine with Kara Thrace…though her conscious mind really wasn't paying much attention. The familiar lurching feeling came as the Raptor jumped away.

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Back in the room, Lee Adama was still rubbing his head with one hand, the other trying to smooth out the facial twitching below his left eye.

"Good of you to join us," Zak said in a mechanical voice. "Maybe we shouldn't have pushed her like that."

"Don't worry," he stretched. "They won't get that far, little brother. She's still carrying around my DNA. It will wake up soon."

"So, what are we going to do about the Old Man.?"

With a wicked grin, Lee turned to look at Zak.

"Why don't we go and introduce ourselves."

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Wiping the sweat from his brow, Samuel Anders wondered what they would do after the baby was born. Would it be human? Would it be Cylon? It was the not knowing for sure that was killing him.

Agathon and Valerii's kid had been born last week with no sign of Cylon in her. She was just a beautiful baby girl, with every bit of spunk as her parents. Though on occasion he was sure she had inherited her mother's brains. He heard Helo call to him from inside the cabin.

"Hey, Anders! Chow's up!"

He dropped the ax he had been using to make jagged beams for a security trap. They hadn't seen or heard a Cylon in two months, but he wasn't taking any chances. Sharon was sure they wouldn't be bothered. She'd known the cabin would be there, and wasn't surprised when it was stocked full of all the amenities.

"I'll be there in a minute. Let me go wash up."

The water was cool as it washed the grit and grime away. He thought of the last time he had a real shower, not just a bath like they had inside. It was on Cloud Nine, the day he had to rescue Kara Thrace from her best friend.

_Poor Kara_. She was barely functioning now as it was. Every day he would wake to see her still staring off into space. And every night he would painstakingly bathe her to try to wash away the salt of her silent tears. He loved her dearly. He had never put up with any of her bull, except for when she'd decided to choose Adama over him. It had been too good to be true for her, but he'd known in his gut that something was just not right.

Lunch was hot, and delicious. According to Sharon, this cabin had been stocked in anticipation of her and Helo coming to live there. Then she had run from the Cylons, not wanting them to take away the two things she truly loved, her child and her mate. Anything he could have ever wanted was here to survive on, and in bulk. There was a secret cellar beneath the cabin.

Still, they had made sure to destroy the Raptor after landing. If the Cylons came upon it, they would think it was just another piece of space trash that had fallen down to the plantet's surface. At least that's what they hoped the Cylon's would think. He didn't pretend to even know. And Anders wasn't really sure that Helo's toaster girlfriend even knew anymore, seeing how she'd disconnected herself from the rest of them right before she'd had the baby.

He walked over and sat down where Kara was still perched in the same spot he'd left her in that morning.

"Come on baby. You've got to eat."

He held up the spoon to her mouth, trying to get her to take some of the stew Helo had made. Kara absentmindedly sniffed it before opening her mouth to let him put it in there. She never seemed to have a reaction if it was hot, cold, salty or sweet. That part of her brain had shut down when she found out Lee was a Cylon…or at least working with them.

For once she ate the entire contents of the bowl. Maybe she was getting better after all. Sam set the bowl down on the nightstand and took her into his arms, rocking her back and forth. Except for the extremely large belly, she was still Kara Thrace…his Starbuck.

"It will all be fine, honey. I promise you. Everything will turn out just fine."

"Make it stop."

Surprised, Sam looked down at Kara's face. She was no longer staring at something on the wall behind him, but looking up at him with a sad puppy-dog look. He leaned over and kissed her on the forehead, trying to figure out in his tiny little brain what it was that she meant.

Sharon walked over with her newborn daughter in her arms. She looked curiously at Sam, then at Kara. Handing the baby over to her father's waiting arms, she bent down to touch Kara's burgeoning belly.

"It's almost time. This baby will be coming early."

Helo's mouth hung open. She never ceased to amaze him.

"How do you know that?"

"I can hear him. He's talking to her. That's what she means when she asks if you can make it stop."

Sam was more concerned now than ever. There was nothing he could do for her. He wasn't a Cylon, and he was pretty sure if the kid was talking to Kara through its blood, then he had to be a Cylon.

"Talk to him, Sam."

"What? Are you nuts! I can't talk to that thing!"

He cringed at the thought of it.

Sharon didn't have much patience these days. It made her long slightly for the days when her Cylon programming would have taken over and she would have just killed Anders where he sat, taken the baby out of Starbuck, and then left her there to die, too. She sighed as she thought of the stupidity of some human males.

"Talk to the baby. He. Not It. He's just a baby. He wants to hear his father's voice. And as far as I'm concerned, that's gonna be you from now on."

"But…"

Kara entreated him once again. Three little words. Just not the ones he wanted to hear most in his life right now.

"Make it stop."

He resigned himself to the fact that no one else here was going to do it. He would have to talk to the baby himself. And Samuel Anders would have been happy once upon a time to be a father, but not exactly like this.

They left him alone with Kara. He moved to lie down next to her, only lower so he was positioned right in front of her belly. He'd heard tales from some of his married friends about how they'd talked to their babies while still in the womb. _Weird._ It just felt weird.

But as he began to talk to it, he saw Kara begin to relax for the first time in months. He reached up to stroke the taught skin of her abdomen as he told the unborn boy about regulations that were used in a Pyramid game.

Finally, Kara Thrace stopped hearing the voice inside of her head. It had gone to sleep. And she was soon to follow.

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Lee Adama stood there…waiting for what was supposed to be his human father's heartbeat slow down and then stop. But he knew something that his brother Zak didn't.

There were two factions of Cylons. One that did what God wanted, when God wanted. And the other had started following the Doral model, long ago, thinking that It knew what God had wanted. But in the world of Cylons, for the last twenty-five years, he and Zak Adama had been unique.

Their mother, Caroline, had been model # 1. God had created her to beguile the one threat that He had seen there would be to the future of the Cylon race. Somewhere along the line, God had discovered that the Cylons could not continue without love.

Caroline Adama had experienced love. If ever so fleeting, she had two children with William Adama, whom God had seen would one day be the Admiral of the Colonial Fleet, after his other children had gone wrong and followed the Cylon Archangel to their destiny. But He hadn't realized how wrong it would be.

And Zak had fallen for the Archangel's bull. Lee, being half Cylon, half human, had not.  
Lee Adama would not allow his father to be destroyed.

After introducing Zak to his father again, Lee had watched William Adama's eyes grow wide upon the realization that he, too, was a Cylon. And then the doubt came…was he, William Adama, a Cylon? Quickly Lee had put that thought to rest. But he hadn't explained it fully yet, and what the Old Man saw before him was already bound to give him another heart attack. Bill Adama collapsed, and had to be rushed to sick bay by Doc Cottle before he suffered another myocardial infarction.

Colonel Tigh, in his utter disgust for all things not completely human, had tried to shoot Lee and Zak Adama without another word. But whereas Lee was half and half, this copy of Zak was not. Somewhere along the line, when he had been a student of Kara Thrace's at the academy, someone or something, had shown him his true nature, and talked him into giving up a sample of his own DNA. That was before his Viper had been sabotaged. For even though he wasn't the best pilot in the fleet…Zak had never been stupid enough to kill himself. And Lee well knew it.

He stood there, watching his father sleep; understanding that he probably would not be accepted by his own flesh and blood once he awoke. But in the back of his mind, he remembered Kara, and his child. He would do anything for that child…including murder. But first, he would have to find a way to take care of Zak.

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"Angel of mine, come to me now….  
Angel of mine, where have you been?  
Everything's fine; all this will pass….  
Come back to me, Angel of mine."

He sang the verses over and over again, rocking Kara back and forth. It won't be long now. Anders stroked her hair back from her forehead, feeling the vacant breeze touch their sweat-laden skin. It was getting warmer outside. She'd been calmer these last few weeks, even smiling at him from time to time.

"I love you, Kara Thrace." He said the words lightly, knowing that she'd chosen Adama – or what she'd thought was Adama – over him. But it hadn't diminished his love for her. He'd let her go so she could be happy.

"I love you, too, Sam."

Anders' heart skipped a beat. She'd asked him to talk to the baby, go to the bathroom…. She'd even gotten to where she'd ask for something to eat. Now this. _Nah, I'm hearing things_. He looked down to find her smiling broadly.

She reached out and touched his face. Her eyes were searching for…something. Having found what they were looking for, she grabbed his right hand and put it on her abdomen, spreading his fingers out and pressing his palm flat.

Kara turned to where her back was pressed against his chest, feeling the baby kick hard in response to his presence. She settled in, reveling in the safety of his warm embrace. The baby would be coming soon, and she could think of no one who would make a better father – strong, compassionate, and true. Kara jumped slightly as the baby gave an even harder kick in response to her thoughts.

"You okay?"

Nodding, she turned back to look up at the man who had brought her slowly back from the brink. Helo had told her how Samuel Anders came in, day after day, singing and rocking her, often getting no response. He'd been patient and kind. Kara remembered why she'd fallen in love with him before, in only one day. That love had gotten shelved when she found herself pregnant with Lee's baby.

_Lee._ The thought of him made her eyes cloud over. Sam knew she was thinking again of her best friend who had turned out to be the thing she'd been fighting so hard against. He had to give Helo's girlfriend kudos. The woman had guts. At least Sharon had little to no fear in telling people up front what she really was, and for that, she'd at least earned his respect.

"Hey, babe…do you want something to eat?" Sam realized it was almost two o'clock Caprican time, and they still hadn't eaten.

"Mmmm. I'd like that." She laughed at the baby's rapid movements. "I think he'd like that, too."

Gently he extracted himself from behind her, leaving Kara to stare out the window at the hazy Caprican sky. He met Sharon and her daughter in the kitchen, making lunch for Agathon. The baby was growing rapidly, barely fitting into the dress that her mother had fashioned for her just the week before.

"Hello, little one."

Tanah latched on to Sam's finger, showing the strength her tiny little hands possessed.

"Hello Sharon."

The female Cylon acknowledged him with a nod. She had made a kind of papoose to hold the baby onto her back while keeping her hands free to do other tasks. The scents coming from whatever she was cooking were starting to make him salivate. Sharon smiled at his obvious reaction to the food. She'd often wondered if she'd make a good cook.

"Lunch will be ready in ten minutes, Sam. There's plenty here for all of us. Is Kara feeling any better?"

"Yeah," he sighed. "She's got more good days than bad days now. And she's speaking more, too."

Sharon stopped stirring the rice mixture she was cooking, turning to the side to listen more directly to what he was saying.

"What did she say, Sam?"

He smiled sheepishly at her question. "She said she loved me."

Reaching out and touching his arm, Sharon felt genuinely happy for him. She had grown tired watching a good man suffer for someone he loved like Sam did for Kara.

"That's good to hear. Could you go tell Helo to come in? He went out to do a perimeter walk before eating."

"Yeah, sure. Be right back."

Stepping outside, he could see patches of blue appearing in the orangey-green sky. It had been a long time since he'd seen a truly blue sky. The sounds of birds came to his ears in what had been, not six months before, a silent landscape.

Sam walked maybe five hundred feet into the woods before Helo came bounding up to him, out of breath.

"Get – inside – now. Raptor…landing…north…." Helo felt like he was going to pass out, he'd run so fast. He bent over, resting his hands on his thighs as he drew in long, deep breaths trying to slow down his rapidly racing heart. Once he could speak comfortably again, his voice trembled in thinly-veiled fear.

"We've got to get back to the house – quick! Turn off all the electricity and get the girls downstairs. I'll explain it all once we're safely underground!"

Nodding, Anders felt his old instincts kick in. He had to protect Kara at all costs, and the baby he'd begun to think of as his own.

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"Welcome back to Caprica, people."

The Raptor landed with a thud. It had been a while since he'd flown one, but this experience was starting out just like the last. A marine stood behind him, rifle trained at his head, ready to see if Lee Adama flinched. He wouldn't. He couldn't. Lee had brought his father and these people here for a sole purpose: To find Kara and his child.

"Put on the restraints."

Lee nodded and held out his arms as a waiting marine shackled his wrists and ankles and attached the customary collar. Every time they restrained him on Galactica, he'd felt sad as he now understood how it must have pained Sharon to feel trapped like this. _Better than being thrown out an airlock._

He smiled lightly as he remembered the look on the Zak copy's face when Admiral Adama had given the order of execution. But it was only for Zak…not for him. The Cylon had clawed at Lee, trying to take him along into cold, empty space.

"Where do we go, son?"

Adama hadn't taken the new that he'd fathered a hybrid lightly. But it did explain a lot: how Boomer hadn't succeeded in killing him, coming within a fraction of an inch in permanently silencing him. Or how with the number of close calls that Lee and Kara had flying in their Vipers, they had never bought it. There had to be a purpose behind it all, in his mind's eye. And it did help a little that Cottle had already confirmed that Lee was his son, the original, and not some cheap knock-off.

"Sir, we need to go five miles south of here. The terrain is a little bumpy, as you can see from the topographic map that Chief Tyrol is holding." Lee pointed to the course they would be taking. "But we need to hoof it. I don't know how long we're going to be alone. That Zak copy will probably download into another body anytime, sir." He laughed lightly. "What? You honestly don't think that there was only one Resurrection ship in existence, do you?"

Lee waited patiently while the marines passed small arms out to the other members of the crew. Tyrol and Racetrack were there, along with another handful of marines who were exiting the second Raptor that had come along. Its purpose was for transport, and to take off and maintain orbit around the planet to alert if any Cylon presence was detected. Lee didn't like it that they had just up and left the planet bare. He didn't believe it.

"Move out."

They pushed the first Raptor into the underbrush, while Taylor took off in the second. They headed deep into the forest. Tyrol came alongside the Admiral, wanting to know where they were headed.

"Excuse me, sir, but would you mind telling me where we are going?"

Adama sighed. _I'm getting too old for this_. He had only told the crew that they were going on an ops mission to search for survivors. He'd said that Anders had told him there were more survivors on the planet…but it had been a lie. Until now, all of the other inhabitants were dead. He was hoping that Kara was still alive.

"Chief, just keep on course. I'd rather not share any more information…just in case."

_In case there was another Cylon in their midst we don't already know about._ Tyrol understood it perfectly. He knew that the Cylons were after Sharon and her baby…and now that they all knew Starbuck was pregnant with Apollo's kid, and that Apollo was a hybrid…. Galen could just imagine the crap hitting the fan.

"Yes sir. Sorry to bother you, sir." He fell back in line behind Lee Adama, whom he had taken an oath to personally keep an eye on.

It was going to be a long walk.

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_There it is again_. She'd felt it several time already - a tightening of the skin and muscles in her abdomen. _Not now Lords of Kobol; please not now._ This was not the time nor the place for this.

Around her, Helo, Sharon and Sam were feverishly throwing supplies into rucksacks and duffel bags. All that Helo had said when they burst through the door was, "Gotta go." Sharon had immediately passed the baby to Kara, and then began pulling stuff out of drawers and off shelves.

"Come on Kara; let's go downstairs." Sam took Tanah and handed her to her mother's waiting arms. He hefted one of the duffels over his right shoulder, then pulled Kara to her feet. He didn't miss the wincing look that quickly passed over her features.

"Kara, are you okay?"

She nodded, but didn't speak. She was concentrating harder on telling her body not to do what it was obviously trying to start doing.

"Frak me." Sam knew that her contractions had begun, but it was too early for her to actually go into labor. He went down the stairs backward, making sure that Kara didn't lose her balance on the way. Helo and Sharon were already a couple of meters ahead of them. At the rate that Kara was waddling, it wouldn't be long before they'd be left behind. He bent lower and whispered in her ear.

"Do you need me to carry you?"

Kara threw him a look that told him exactly where she thought he could stick that insane idea. She drew in a deep breath and quickened her pace. "Keep moving, Sam. It's not that far, remember?"

After a few minutes, they had caught up to the little family that was patiently waiting at the base of their exit. Sharon looked carefully at Kara, who had begun sweating profusely. She could tell that the older Viper pilot was close to being in full-blown labor, and that they needed to do whatever it took to stop it. Pulling out a med kit, she found the right vial and a clean syringe. Helo looked at her questioningly, while Kara nodded her acceptance.

"Hopefully this will stop you from having any more of those contractions. Do you know how close they were coming together?"

"I don't know. I was trying too hard to catch up with you that I didn't count!"

None of them missed the sarcasm-laced words. Sharon injected the medicine, then felt for Kara's pulse to gauge how far gone she really was. "We'll have to rest here."

"But Sharon, we need..."

Helo stopped his words as Sharon held up her hand. "She needs to rest, unless you want to help deliver a baby in the middle of a Caprican forest." She smiled as he adamantly shook his head. "I thought not."

They lowered their baggage and began to make themselves comfortable. Kara leaned her head on Anders' shoulder. She sighed as he placed an arm protectively around her shoulders, and then she spoke in a low voice.

"Did I tell you I love you?" Looking up at his face, she thought she saw tears glistening in his eyes. It was something she hadn't noticed since the last time she'd left him there on Caprica.

"Thank you." It was an odd thing for him to say at that moment, but he meant it. He'd thought he had lost her love completely when she'd decided to stick with Adama. Each time she might say it, he would think they were the most precious of words. "How are you doing?" Sam placed a hand on her belly, resting it where the baby was currently ramming a fist into his mama's tummy, trying to break out. But he didn't feel any more tightening of Kara's abdominal muscles. It was a good sign that the medicine had kicked in.

"I think I'm good." His hand was warm on her skin. The baby pushed harder in response, seeming to try to get closer and closer to Sam. The whole thing made Kara smile.

Helo and Sharon were quietly watching the two people in front of them. Tanah was busy suckling on her mother's breast, quickly falling asleep. Seeing Kara happy again had made Karl content, knowing she was going to be watched over and cared for by someone who loved her back. There was a softness to her features and movements when she was around Anders that had been missing when she'd been with Apollo. Helo knew that Kara had been in love with Lee for years, but it was a very destructive relationship - almost from day one.

Sharon reached out and touched the arm of the man she loved. "She's beautiful like this, isn't she?" Karl smiled and nodded, liking that the observation had come from Sharon first. She handed Tanah to her father and then got up to check Kara's vitals. Satisfied that everything was now okay, she made the motion for them to continue.

"I guess it's time to move out, then." Sam pulled her upright again, taking great care not to offset Kara's balance. He stood behind her as she slowly made her way yp the steps that had been carved into the earth. He was ready to catch her the second she may have fallen.

Helo went to scout ahead. Gone for about ten minutes, he returned with a sobering look on his face.

"Well, we definitely have company...but it's up to you guys to decided whether or not we call them friendlies."

Any other day, this would have been taken as a good joke from Helo. But not today. They followed him to where the trees opened up into a small clearing, taking care not to make too much noise with the crunching of fallen twigs and leaves beneath their feet.

Kara looked up to see a Raptor - Helo and Sharon's old one, to be exact - being guarded by two colonial marines. They had pushed it into the underbrush, trying to evade detection. She recognized one of the men from the Galactica, a Corporal Venner, if she was remembering correctly. _Yep, they're here looking for us._ Kara turned to look at her companions who were looking right back at her, waiting for an answer. She could only offer another question.

"Okay...now what?"


	2. Chapter 10

"You don't have to do this, you know."

"Yes I do."

Helo sighed as he watched Starbuck stretching her arms, getting ready to go. They had overheard the marines talking to Captain Taylor on the comm. as he was checking on the status of the other crew. Sharon had gone around with Anders to create some kind of distraction in order to get them away from the Raptor – just long enough so they could get onboard and get the frak out of there.

"You know as well as I do that the moment I see them, Lee is going to try to keep me and this baby at all costs. And they'll probably throw you, Anders and Sharon in the brig for good measure!"

"You don't know that Kara, any more than I do. For all we know, they've thrown Lee out an airlock and it's just the Old Man looking for you, okay?"

Kara tried not to flinch as Sharon and Anders came walking up, grins on their silly little faces.

"I don't think so Helo. How would he have known to look here, huh? Am I right Sharon?"

She turned and looked at the Cylon, who was more and more human every day. The grin faded from Sharon's olive-colored features, and she became markedly more serious.

"Yeah. You're most likely correct. We've been here for months. The only way they would have come looking here is if someone pointed them in this direction. For all they knew, this place would be crawling with Cylons. I don't think that Adama would risk coming back unless he knew it wasn't."

Turning back around to look at the marines through the binoculars, Kara saw that nothing had happened yet. Nor did she see anything out of the ordinary.

"What did you guys do...anything?"

Anders put his hands on her thick waist and turned her back around, his mouth breaking out into a wide grin.

"You're watching in the wrong place. Just look over that way, and watch. It'll go off with a bang. Are you two ready?"

Over his shoulder, Helo and Sharon had picked up the other supplies, and their chubby little girl. Helo nodded without verbalizing that they were go for launch, in a matter of speaking. Anders returned it with a thumbs up sign, before turning back to Kara again.

On the far side of the forest, there was suddenly a large explosion. It worked perfectly. Corporal Venner and the other marine hightailed it to the site, where the surrounding trees were now going up in flames.

"Let's go!"

The hatch to the Raptor had been left open, allowing them easy access without attracting too much attention. They would be getting plenty of that as soon as they took off. Sharon passed Tanah off to Kara again, jumping into the pilot's seat and fastening her harness; while Helo took the ECO's seat.

"Now I can show you how a real pilot flies one of these things."

Sharon had the biggest grin on her face.

"Yes dear."

Helo had one on his, too. Sharon watched the ground slowly disappear from their sight as the screen in front of her blipped.

"Hon, don't forget about that other Raptor out there. Tell me where I need **not** to go."

Looking quickly at his screen, Lieutenant Agathon pinpointed the exact orbit that Captain Taylor had made with the other Raptor. _Frakking idiot didn't even notice the explosion. _

Sure enough, Taylor and his ECO were completely oblivious to the activity going on at the surface of the planet below. So much so that Sharon passed without notice, within five hundred meters of the sister ship. The former CAG of the Pegasus only took heed when he saw the flash of light as they jumped away.

_**Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz**_

"Holy frak."

Racetrack looked at the smoke coming from the woods they had just exited from. The sweep of the cabin was complete. Someone had definitely been there, and it looked like they had just left. _So much for stealth_.

Chief Tyrol was listening to the radio, nodding as he heard the message from Galactica's marines that had stayed at the landing site.

"Copy that. Tyrol out. Admiral Adama, sir?"

Bill Adama raised his head, looking first at his son, then at the Chief. He had been lost in thought, wondering where he had gone so wrong that Kara would want to flee from him. _I love her like my own child_.

"Yes, Chief. Sitrep?"

"Sir, yes sir. That was Corporal Venner, sir. There was an explosion in the woods and…and when they went to check it out, sir, someone boarded the Raptor and it took off, sir. Our transport is gone sir. The Corporal said that Captain Taylor is landing now, sir."

Lee was incensed. They had been so close, and Kara had just slipped through their fingers. He was going to have to kill someone now…he could feel it in his blood as he spat out the words.

"And did the good Captain tell you if he even noticed them going past him? Did he?"

Tyrol looked disdainfully down his nose at the younger Adama. He may be half Cylon, but Galen knew from experience that he still had to treat him with some semblance of respect. The Old Man wouldn't allow otherwise. It still didn't stop the sarcasm in his voice.

"No, sir, he did not. As I said, Corporal Venner reported that Captain Taylor was just landing. He had yet to get a report from the Captain…sir."

Letting a small sigh escape from his lips, Bill placed on finger on his chin and thought about what they should do next.

"Thank you, Chief. That will be all. Well son, I guess we're back to square one, then."

Lee looked up at the sky, feeling the Cylon side of him trying to take over his all too human emotions.

"Yes, dad. I guess we are."

_**zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz**_


	3. Chapter 11, No Escape

_Kara._

_Leave me alone._ She was asleep. But Kara Thrace didn't know she was asleep. The tiny room that she and Anders had made as their home was cramped, but it was warm and somewhat safe. Sharon, Helo and their daughter had taken the larger room, only steps away.

_Kara. I love you Kara_.

_Leave me alone_. She heard the voice again inside her mind, where she was back on Caprica, before the Cylon attacks. She thought it was Zak speaking to her, but the smile she saw when the young man turned around to look at her was all Lee Adama. The skies turned dark and she felt fear touch her heart.

_Kara…what's wrong, Kara?_

Starbuck tried to pull away from the dream Lee, who had taken her hand in his, joining them together. Then her mind flashed her to her old bunkroom, with her arms and legs entwined with his; bodies pressing against one another. Her dream Lee turned up her chin and made to kiss her. Or so she thought.

The look in his eyes was nothing but pure evil, and she felt her heart turn to ice.

_You can run all you want, Kara. But you'll never be able to hide from me_.

"NO!"

"Thrace! What's wrong?"

She shot upright, her heart racing, unable to catch her breath. Kara turned to see the concern on Anders' features, afraid that something terribly wrong had happened.

It was then that she felt pain pierce through her as the contractions began.


	4. So it begins

"Come on Kara, you can do this! I know you can!"

"No…I can't…."

Kara's voice came out as a raspy whimper. She'd been in labor for twelve hours and actually pushing for the last forty-five minutes. She was tired, thirsty, and pretty much ready to give up.

"Yes, you can. I don't want to have to explain to the Old Man why his grandkid was stillborn the next time we see him."

"Frak you, Helo. Move away from there, Karl. I know you're my best friend and all, but I don't think you should be looking up my hole like that."

"That's the Starbuck I know. Now, get ready to push."

Anders walked back into the room at that moment, grinning as he laid the fresh towels on the chair next to the bed. At the same time, Sharon came in with a large bowl of hot water, to wet the towels and clean off some instruments. She leaned over to Helo, and whispered as low as she could.

"This could be a problem, Helo. She's losing way too much blood."

Kara didn't miss the look of concern on Sharon's features, nor the look that Helo returned to his girlfriend's words. She could feel her blood pressure dropping, the longer that she was pushing. The baby's head was all the way out, but a shoulder was stuck, and they couldn't get it out.

"What's wrong?"

They looked at Kara, instantly brightening their faces.

"Nothing," Sharon said. "It's just that we need to get this baby out the old fashioned way for sure. There's only enough thread here to sew you up if you tear. I don't have the right instruments or enough catgut to do a cesarean. In other words, Kara, start pushing a little bit harder."

"What's that?"

She was commenting on the shiny object that Sharon had pulled out of a bag on the table.

"Forceps. I have to get that baby out of you, because it isn't coming out without a little help. Don't worry. Sam, put your hand here, on her abdomen. She's so tired she's going to need a little help. Okay?"

"Sure."

Coming around the other couple, Sam caught sight of all the blood. He had an inkling of why Helo and Sharon were acting concerned. He had witnessed his sister giving birth, in a hospital before the Cylons attacked, and there hadn't been nearly as much blood loss as this. He made his face a mask as he came up to Kara's face, and gave her a slow, sweet kiss.

"Okay honey. It's time to do a little more work…together, okay? Let's get this future Pyramid player up and rolling."

She actually managed a grin as she gritted her teeth and began pushing with the next contraction. It was hurting like hell. Kara felt as if her insides were coming out with each successive push. She felt a pop when they finally got the baby's shoulder to clear the birth canal.

"Okay Starbuck. One more good push should do the trick. Just go with the next contraction, and we should be able to get this baby going. Ready? Now, push!"

A low, guttural groan came from her lips as she pushed the baby free. Sharon passed it over to Helo, taking a quick look to see the baby's sex, before she concentrated on the job at hand.

"It's a boy, Kara! A boy! Okay now, we've got to deliver the placenta. Anders, why don't you bear down on her belly and help it out, okay? I don't think Kara has any energy left in her to do it."

Kara nodded as he asked her. "It's okay? All right, then." He slowly pushed on top of her belly and made slight downward movements to help her uterus dispose of the excess material.

"Okay Sam…that's enough. Helo? How's our godson doing over there?" Sharon grinned as she felt around inside to locate the tear she knew she would find. Her smile faded as she found it, a little bigger than she had expected. She looked up to check on her patient. "Kara…Kara? Sam, check her pulse. Is she okay?"

Sam reached down to Kara's throat. He felt a pulse, but it was beating a little slowly. He nodded as he spoke. "Yeah…I think she's just tired. Her pulse is slow, but strong and steady."

"Good. I need you to keep checking it while I sew her up. With any luck, she's just passed out from the pain of the experience. This is going to take a while."

In one corner, Helo was washing Kara Thrace's baby boy clean with a wet towel. He looked up to see Sharon steadily tying off the bleeders and repairing the Viper pilot's wounded womb. He closed his eyes briefly and made a silent prayer to the gods.

_Please help her…don't let her die._

He opened his eyes to see the little newborn staring up at him, with a firm grip on his finger. It was then that Helo knew this child would be even more different that they'd originally thought.

_**Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz**_

In his cell onboard the Galactica, Lee Adama had quietly been meditating in a corner. Suddenly, his eyes shot open and he jumped to his feet, speaking aloud.

"So…it begins…."


	5. Chapter 13

As he sat there, holding onto her pale hand, Samuel Anders thought back upon that which had been his life.

He thought mostly about the woman lying there before him. She was so pale; almost ashen. He watched her chest rise and fall. Her breathing had finally become more normal, and he realized that in all his days, in all the places he had been and all the people he had met, he'd never loved someone quite like he loved Kara Thrace.

_She came back for me_. A stupid promise he'd never thought she'd actually keep. And he knew, as he'd watched her leave with Sharon and Karl, that she had touched him with those simple words like no one had ever touched him before. Sam fingered the dog tag she'd given him every night before he had gone to sleep, and then every day before he and the other C-Buccs went off to fight the good fight – because somewhere in the back of his mind, there was a little voice that had told him to hold on…to have faith.

He prayed to whatever gods there were that she would recover from her son's birth. Sharon said Kara had lost so much blood that it should have killed her. "But you're too stubborn," he said aloud. Sam laid his head down on the bed next to her hand, and decided to pray again.

"You decide to make a habit out of that, I might have to peg you as religious or something."

Kara reached out and lightly brushed Sam's hair with her hand. Truth be told, she felt like she'd been run over by a large truck. Anders lifted his head to see her smiling gently at him; obviously tired, but happy to see him.

"Thrace, I…."

But she had already closed her eyes again…just wanting to rest. Sam kissed her hand, and then brushed some stray hairs away from her angelic, sleeping face. Satisfied that she was going to be fine, he left the room to go and tell the others.

_**Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz**_

Corporal Venner had been watching him steadily for the past six hours. He hadn't said a word, but had been pacing back and forth in his cell like a caged animal. It had unnerved the Corporal just enough that he had asked to speak with the Admiral.

_Where the frak is my father_? Any normal man would have tired by then. But Lee Adama was no ordinary man. The Cylon genetics he had inherited from his mother had given him an especially long stamina and extra-human strength.

He had tried to sit still hours ago, but couldn't. Lee knew that his son had been born. He felt the connection he'd had with Kara sever the minute the baby's umbilical cord had been cut. But he could still feel his son. If he closed his eyes and concentrated enough, he could tell that the boy was warm, and content…but nothing more. It angered him that he couldn't hold his own flesh and blood, there, in his arms…like every other father who actually took responsibility for his actions. So caught up in his thoughts, he barely noticed when Bill Adama stepped into the room.

Bill knew that the man before him was his son. And he had accepted that Caroline had not been what she'd seemed. But he still had a duty to the remainder of the human race to keep them safe. And so he'd suffered as he had to put his only living child into a cell, allowing him to be poked and prodded like a lab rat – all in the name of science and to further their understanding of the enemy.

"Son, you need to calm down."

Lee lifted his head and looked at his father. There were tears in his eyes. It broke the Admiral's heart. He knew that Lee wanted Kara, and his child. But he wasn't willing to let him destroy the whole of the human race just to find them.

"How can I calm down? My son's out there and I can't do anything to protect him!"

Motioning for the marines to open the cell door for him, Adama grabbed one of the extra metal chairs and slid it into the tiny cage so as to have a place to sit. As he did so, Lee, too, sat down on the edge of his bunk.

"What do you want me to do, Lee? I cannot risk everyone's lives for the sake of one other. Besides, do you really think that Kara would let anything happen to him?"

A great sigh escaped from Lee's mouth. He'd known. He'd always known. If there was a chance that Kara would have gotten pregnant, he needed to keep her safe. Even before the Cylons had made him remember what he was on the inside, he'd had this feeling that if he let them go, it would be very, very wrong. And now he could feel it coming…the gathering storm.

"We have to find them before the Cylons do, Dad. If we don't find them, there won't be a human race left to save."

"What exactly is that supposed to mean?"

Dragging his fingers through his hair, Lee thought of all the times he'd wished his father would stop talking in riddles to him and just spit it out. A smile crossed his lips at the realization that he was now doing the exact same thing.

"Sorry, Dad. My son and Agathon's daughter. If the Cylons find them first, they will indoctrinate them to exterminate what's left of the human race. And no matter how much you'd know that they would be the end of you, do you really think you could kill your own grandchild? Your own flesh and blood? You couldn't do it to me, and I don't think you'd do it to him, either. What makes us unique is what the Cylons have been waiting for all along – a blending of the races, to make a new beginning. It's what their prophecy says, and they will do anything, _ANYTHING_, to fulfill it."

Bill nodded as he felt his heart sink. He'd known it would be something like this. Nothing in his life would ever be as simple as it'd been before the damned Cylons had come back into their lives. He laughed internally as he thought that was stupid, because they'd really been in his life all along; just that their initial mission had failed.

"All right, son. What do you need me to do?"

_**zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz**_


	6. Patience

_**Thank you to everyone for their patience. The rugrats have been passing the flu around and around in circles – a never-ending, vicious cycle. Here's the next part to move us along a bit. Happy reading!**_

**zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz**

"How long can we stay here, Sharon?"

The words came out in a sigh as he came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her tiny waist; breathing in the fresh scent of her long, midnight-colored hair. _Leave it to Sharon to find a bottle of shampoo in the middle of utter destruction._

In the distance, Sharon had been keeping a watchful eye on their daughter, who was playing in what seemed the last untouched piece of forest on all of Picon. She shrugged, remembering why they had chosen to touch down on the devastated planet. Pretty sure that no one would automatically look for them there – the Cylons because they had finished with it, wiping it clean of human presence; the humans because they were afraid of it, especially after the destruction of Fleet Headquarters. Before landing, they did a survey of the planet, finding that radiation levels were even lower here than on Caprica. Some ecosystems just recovered faster than others.

Sharon leaned back against Helo's strong chest, letting go a long sigh herself.

"It won't be forever, Helo. We'll have to leave eventually. I just don't know where it is that we're going to go."

Tanah's infectious laughter came closer. The child stopped, cocking her head to one side as she peered curiously at the two adults before her. But she knew something they didn't. Looking towards the sky above, she could literally feel the coming storm, long before her parents noticed the gathering dark. She shook her head, laughing as she ran past them, into the building that had become their temporary home.

_**ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ**_

"How long?"

"Well, um, sir…we um, didn't get as many parts as we'd wished on our last scouting run, and…."

"How long, Chief!"

Tyrol flinched. There were very few people alive who could make Galen Tyrol flinch. Admiral William Adama was one of them. The tone of his voice alone would have been enough, even if the Old Man hadn't raised it.

"Two to three days, sir," he replied with a low groan. He couldn't bring himself to look it the Admiral's eyes, as he knew he would probably be asked to move it along even faster.

But the request he expected never came. Just the notable increase in the gruffness of his superior officer's voice.

"Just get it done, Chief. Dismissed."

Without another word – just a smart salute – Tyrol turned on his heel and went off to figure their way out of this one.

If Bill Adama had learned one thing, it was never to let the crew see him worry. Outside of the CIC, very few members of Galactica ever had. One of those people who had came up behind him and put a friendly hand on his shoulder.

"So, Bill, what monkey wrench has the Chief thrown in our gears this afternoon?"

The Old Man smiled at his longtime friend and confidante. Tigh might be a drunk, but when he occasionally put down the cup, he had some amazing moments of clarity.

"It's the FTL drive, Saul. We've burned out some parts. Unlike Cain, I'm not willing to strip the civilians of the only defense they have left after this ship."

He let out some of the tension he felt in one, long breath.

"He's got to make some of the parts himself, Colonel."

Tigh scoffed at the thought of a knuckle dragger doing an engineer's job.

"Damned good thing we've still got that civilian aeronautical engineer onboard. Leave it to Tyrol and we'd be dead in the water for sure."

"Three days, Saul. We'll be treading that water for three more days."

_**zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz**_


	7. Chapter 15

_Hot. So hot. _

Kara Thrace woke up a start. She was sweating profusely, but did not have a fever. And the air and the room was ice cold. She walked over to the baby's crib to check on him.

"Oh my gods, he's burning up!"

Sam woke up at the sound of her yell. He calmly walked over and took Billy from his mother, taking him to the bathroom.

"What are you doing, Sam?"

"You never had siblings, did you? If you have no medicine around, and you have a fever, it's usually going to be from a virus, and not an infection. Tepid water, Kara. Tepid water baths usually help to bring a high fever down. Then you have to look for the medicine. Why don't you go ask Helo to come here?"

She nodded, wondering how many times she would have to do this before she would actually feel like a real mother. Sam did most of the dirty work – changing diapers, walking the baby when he had colic, giving him baths. She smiled at the thought of him taking on the job like he was indeed Billy's Daddy as she knocked on the door where Helo and his little family slept.

"Wh-what do you want, Kara?"

"Sorry to wake you up, Karl…but Sam asked me to get you. Little Billy's got one hell of a temperature, and I think we're going to have to find some more medical supplies. There's got to be something to bring that fever down."

"Give me just a minute."

The door closed for a few minutes, and then Helo reappeared, fully dressed, with his sidearm strapped to his thigh.

"Where are you going, into combat? Helo, there's no one on this gods forsaken planet except for us."

Agathon sighed, knowing that she was probably right, but not able to shake the feeling he'd had since two days ago, when it had begun pouring down rain out of nowhere. Tanah had told them it was going to rain before the clouds had even formed. She'd said that she could feel it in the air. He didn't want to admit it, but his own daughter spooked him sometimes.

"It's just a precaution, Kara. Nothing more. You and I both know they'll come looking for us someday."

Nodding, she didn't respond verbally as they walked back over to the room she shared with Sam and her son. Billy was now being held tightly in the Pyramid player's arms, but was screaming at the top of his lungs.

"Now what?"

Sam was more than a little worried. The bath had brought the infant's fever down significantly for a few minutes, but by the time Kara had come back, his temp was right back up again. He knew they'd need medicine, and fast.

"Agathon, are you ready to take a little trip to the emergency room?"

Helo grinned. He had already known that Anders would ask him that.

Fingering his sidearm with a broad smile, he responded lightheartedly.

"Yep. Locked and loaded. Let's go."

Anders bent down and kissed the baby before handing him over to Kara. He then kissed her in turn.

"Just walk him back and forth. See if he's hungry, or wet, or…whatever. We'll be back soon."

"Okay. Fine…just…hurry up, would ya?"

Nodding with a serious look on his face, he joined the other man as they walked out the door, in search of what they all needed.

_**ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ**_

Bill Adama looked one last time out the window of the Raptor at his Battlestar. He just hoped that they would be back here to see her again. They had searched every last one of the colonies, except for Picon. He made a silent prayer to the gods, if there really ever were any, that they return safe and sound with his grandson in tow.

The familiar lurch hit him in the stomach as he looked up at his son. His only living son. Even though it had been several months since he'd learned the truth, he still couldn't understand how he'd never noticed the little differences in his son and other 'normal' human men.

Lee Adama was glad that as a half-Cylon that was now aware, he could turn off that human part of him that had a bad reaction to the FTL jump. He smiled, remembering how Kara had teased him before.

_Ahhh. Kara_. He missed her terribly. The reaction she'd had when she'd found out he was part Cylon had cut him to the core. He would have to move mountains to get her to trust him again. But first, he would have to do something about Samuel Anders. _Damn that Pyramid player._ He couldn't kill the man, not outright. For that, he was sure that she would never forgive him. Lee sighed as he thought about how hard it was going to be to have his best friend's confidence again.

"Are you alright son?"

Focusing on his father, he was amazed that Bill was so accepting of his physiology. He had been correct in assuming that the Admiral wouldn't be unable to destroy his own flesh and blood. Smiling softly, he silently returned the Old Man's unspoken sentiment.

"Yes, Dad. Just a little anxious, I guess."

"Understandable. Just remember that you are to take nothing into your own hands, just like every time before. Let Galactica's marine detail take care of diffusing any situation that may arise."

"Yes sir."

They small craft and its accompanying detail in the other Raptor came upon Picon's orbit. Racetrack smoothly piloted them into the atmosphere, marveling at how clear the air looked from above.

"It's like they were never nuked at all."

The two Adamas rose to look out the cockpit window, Lee's wrists still in thick restraints. It really was surprising to see a clear blue sky, when all the other planets had been a sickly shade of orange or green.

"Land outside of the capital, Lieutenant Edmunson. With small children, I don't think they'll stray too far from what was once civilization. And try to keep it quiet."

"Yes sir."

_**zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz**_

Helo heard the sonic boom of the Raptor as it hit the lower atmosphere. He and Anders were standing on the second floor of Picon University hospital, collecting medicines for the children from what had been the NICU. He knew they had to move fast.

"Hurry up Anders, we've got company coming."

Sam stuffed the bag he was carrying full of as much medicine as he could muster. He'd already put scissors and surgical type equipment inside.

"All right, I'm finished here. Let's go Agathon."

It had been a long time since Helo had to move this quickly, but he knew they'd better get to the raider they'd been stashing and get the hell off of this world as quickly as Sharon could pilot them.

_**Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz**_

**_Thanks for all of your patience and reviews. I'm sorry it took me so long to update, but I've got quite a few projects running at once right now. Hope you had a happy read. I'm working on the next update right now._**


	8. Chapter 16

_**Thanks for the sentiment! Here comes the next part - a little bit angsty, building up the suspense... I am definitely enjoying this more and more each day.**_

Ahh...this is the life. 

**_zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz_**

"Frak! We're too late!"

Helo and Anders were scrambling to get between the buildings without being seen.

"All right, military boy…what do we do now? We've got to get back to my son."

A wry smile pursed Helo's lips together as he thought of the irony of this situation. Next to him, a toughened athlete thinking of a small infant as his own son, while the kid's biological parent was scouring the known Universe for them. _Gods, why couldn't I have just been a farmer? Why couldn't I just die in the attacks like all those other poor, lucky bastards? _He pointed to a manhole in the middle of the alleyway they had just passed.

"Sewer, Sam. If there's one thing I learned on Caprica, the sewer system is a great way to travel. It's also one of the reasons we chose the building we're in. Easy access to the sewer in the basement. Let's get going."

Anders cringed inwardly as he followed the soldier down into the dark, dingy hell that awaited him. He never was good with cramped spaces. _That's why I never joined the Colonial Fleet._ The idea of being on a Battlestar his entire life had made him hyperventilate at a young age. _Me and tight spaces…uh-uh…._

After what seemed a small eternity they heard movement up ahead. Helo let go a small whistle and quickly received one in return. He turned to Sam, greeting him with a wide smile.

"That's my girl. They're waiting up ahead. Let's give little Billy his meds and then find a frakking way out of this place."

"Damn straight. Let's go."

Not long after, Kara administered one injection into the baby's tiny little vein while Sam held him in strong and capable arms. After a few seconds, the once screaming baby latched onto his surrogate father's thumb, yawned, and then fell fast asleep. Anders looked up at the others and whispered softly.

"Okay…I think it's safe to move."

**_zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz_**

"What the frak do you mean, there's no one there?"

"I'm sorry sir. I'm not allowed to elaborate on the situation. At least, not until your fa- until Admiral Adama has returned."

Corporal Venner felt sorry for the man. _To one day wake up and realize you weren't exactly who you thought you were. Then on top of that, to have your girlfriend and your only child disappear_. It was enough to make anyone, human or Cylon, absolutely stark-raving mad. He heard footsteps coming down the walk and was relieved to see the Admiral among them.

"Corporal, sitrep."

"Sir, yes sir."

Lee listened in as the marine relayed the information. They had covered forty-three of the city's buildings. In building number forty-two, D-squad had found signs that someone had been living in one of the apartments until very recently. The Admiral thought they had cut it just a little too close.

"So what you are saying, Corporal, is that we very well may have just missed them."

"That's if they've actually gone anywhere, Dad."

He looked over at his son, having had precisely the same thought.

"Tell Raptor 716 to check the atmosphere for any recent activity. If they've taken off there will be a trail to follow. Lee, you come with me. We'll go check out what's in this apartment."

**_zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz_**


	9. Into the night

_**Patience is a virtue. But if you're like me, you don't have much left, hmm?**_

_**Have fun reading.**_

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"Looks like they've been here for at least two months, Commander."

The marine stood in front of them, relaying what they had found in the apartment before Adama and his son entered.

"Thank you, you can return to your post."

Lee followed his father in through the apartment door. It was a tiny apartment, with an open living area and two tiny bedrooms. It was barely enough for two single people to live in, much less two families.

_Families. My family. That man could never take my place._ Lee's mind seethed with thoughts of Anders taking care of his child. They intensified and mingled with sadness as Commander Adama showed him a crib and some children's toys, which had obviously been used by his grandson.

The older man looked up at his son, placing on hand on his left shoulder. He knew the pain that Lee was most likely feeling inside, right now. It was akin to the pain he'd felt when they told him during the initial attacks that Lee had been lost to him. But he also knew the joy his son would feel when the boy they were looking for was with them again.

There were two sides to every story. Bill Adama didn't know what Kara Thrace's reasons for disappearing were, but he was sure they were good ones. It had been a complete and utter shock to him to find out what Lee was. _If I had seen Zak like poor Kara did, I probably would have run, too._ But it was the safety of his grandson he was concerned with, more than anything else. From experience he knew that if the fleet was out looking for them, then the Cylons would soon be to follow.

Lee reached out and picked up one of the stuffed animals, bringing it tight against his chest and releasing a sigh. He turned toward the window, noticing that the sun had gone down, and night was falling.

"We'd better go, Dad. If I were them, I would try to get around in the dark, and not the light."

Nodding, Bill motioned to the waiting marines that it was time to go. One was on either side of Lee Adama as they made their way out into the dusk.

_**Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz**_

Two little eyes opened up, and searched around in the darkness. Moving to rub the sleep from her eyes, Tanah looked up into the concerned face of her mother, illuminated by a flashlight in the pitch. She smiled a little, knowing smile and spoke.

"Momma, are we on an adventure?"

Sharon, who had been absentmindedly thinking as to what they needed to do next, looked down at her little girl's smiling face. They had been resting there for a while, on a concrete slab of a platform to keep them out of the dampness below. It amazed her to see those shining eyes that always seemed to know more about a situation than they were letting on.

"Yes honey, we've all gone on a little adventure."

Helo spoke the words that Sharon had been thinking in her mind. She didn't want to lie to her child, but she obviously didn't want to worry someone so small, either. Helo reached out and took Tanah into his arms, leaving Sharon with an emptiness where her weight had been. He cradled his little girl, humming a little song low in his throat as he rocked her back and forth.

"It's not time to get up, yet, sweetie. Go back to sleep for your mommy and me, hmm?"

"Okay Daddy."

With that, the little one smiled and closed her eyes once again. Her wayward thumb made its way up to her mouth as she began to suck on it.

"Is it time to check?"

Kara looked up at them as she raised her head from Sam's shoulder. All the way through the sewer system, he had made sure not to wake little Billy, carefully choosing his footing. She let a small smile escape to her lips before the seriousness of her soldier's side take over. If there was one thing the military had taught her, it was how to turn her emotions on and off at the drop of a hat.

Sharon nodded, rising from where she sat to climb up the nearest ladder and take a peek.

"Turn off your flashlights."

They all did, one by one wondering how it was that Sharon could see without them. They all thought it was because maybe she had enhanced vision, being a Cylon and all.

They would be wrong. Sharon didn't have any special abilities where her sight was concerned. She just knew that if they were still being searched for, any sign of life coming from so far underground would immediately let the marines know their location. And she wasn't ready to go back to living in a cage. Anything would be better than that.

Picon's three moons were in various stages of rising. They bathed the planet's surface with a cool, blue light. It definitely helped her to see better, now. She made a sweep of the perimeter in front of her, sensing nothing around them. But just as she turned to call the all clear, a voice came to her, very close to her right ear.

"Thought you could still get away from us, did you?"


	10. Out of the frying pan, Chapter 18

Her insides went cold with fear, but she said nothing as she was dragged out of the manhole by her long brown hair. She refused to let them know that she was afraid of them. At the moment it would serve her no purpose.

Sharon watched as Leoben stuck his head down the manhole, shining a light to see if anyone else was there.

"Come out, come out wherever you are!"

The voice echoed into the sewer system as the light blinded Helo's eyes. There was nothing he could do – no time to run. He knew that they would come after him and Tanah if he did and that would just lead them straight to Kara, Sam and the baby. Surrender was the only choice he had.

"Well hello there, flyboy. What have you got there? My, has she grown! Alright Agathon, up you come."

Helo shifted Tanah to one arm, hoping she would stay asleep. No such luck. Tanah stretched and reached up to give him a big sloppy smooch on the cheek.

"Don't worry, Daddy. Everything's going to be just fine."

And somehow, he knew it would. There was something about his daughter, scary or not, that made him relax. He continued up the rails with ease, not bothering to hurry on up.

When he reached the top, he watched as Tanah eyed the Cylon in front of her, the put one hand out to shake his.

"Leoben, I'm Miss Tanah Agathon. Nice to meet you."

The Cylon looked at her curiously, taking her hand into his and then shaking it gently. He held out his arms for the little girl to climb into his, but she shook her head no.

"I'll stay right here for now, thank you very much."

Her little pigtails jiggled as she said this with one hand on her hip. Helo smiled. _She's got that from her mother for sure_. Sharon was always the bossy one. He looked over to see a bemused look on the other man's face as Leoben crossed his arms, not extending the invitation again.

Over his shoulder, Sharon was standing, arms crossed, a stony look on her own face as a copy of Number Six moved, circling around her.

"What do you have that makes you so special? More so than the rest of us. I could have carried the child."

Leoben turned slightly, speaking in a droll voice.

"Because it required love, my dear. And love, true love, is something that you know nothing about."

The look on Six's face was priceless. Helo would have given anything for a camera right then. But his amusement was short-lived. A copy of the model known as Doral, followed closely by Simon, came around the corner and spoke to Leoben.

"Where is she? Where is Kara Thrace?"

"Ah, coming."

Leoben stuck his head back down the manhole. He could hear them breathing raggedly in the darkness.

"Kara Thrace, we know that you're down here with your resistance fighter. Come up, the both of you, now. Don't make this any more difficult than it has to be."

Kara knew that they couldn't get away. Not with a bag full of supplies and a little baby in hand.

"We'll figure a way out of this one. I promise you."

She nodded, taking the sight of this strong, gentle man before her. There were few people that Kara Thrace trusted with her very life, and Sam Anders was one of them.

"We're coming!"

After she shouted, she turned and kissed him full on the mouth. Kara went up the railing first, then turned and waited for Sam to come up with Billy. It was slower for him, only being able to use one arm to pull himself up. There were no baby carriers on a desolate planet like this one. Not to mention that he had not intention of moving any faster to his fate than he wanted to.

_**zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz**_

At the sight of Kara coming out of the manhole, Lee's heart gave a little jump. He looked furiously for his son, but did not see him. His restraints had been removed on the way to this location, as the detail from Galactica had been alerted to an incoming Heavy Raider, and they all needed to be able to defend themselves. It was his father's idea.

Lee led the formation. He signaled to Corporal Venner to check the perimeter for any more Cylons. As far as they knew, Simon had been the last one to exit the raider. For some reason, they had not been accompanied by any metal toasters this time out. _Maybe they think they won't frighten them off that way._

His attention was drawn back to the scene when he saw the head of Anders coming out of the ground. Lee raised his sidearm for the fight to come. He leaned over to his dad, who was waiting to see what came next.

"Dad, we have to take control of this situation now. Anders is coming out and I'm sure he has the baby with him. I don't want there to be any problems with friendly fire."

A wry smile lit his features as a slight pain in his shoulder reminded him of what could happen with friendly fire. He'd gained that one with Kara once. To his surprise, his dad for once was in agreement. The elder Adama voiced his opinion in his next order.

"Okay everyone, move in. Move in."

The signal was given, and before Anders could take another step up the railing, a handful of Galactica's finest swooped in on the scene. Simon went down first, followed by Doral. Leoben began to speak and was felled by a blow to the throat, delivered by Starbuck herself. Helo had made it over to Sharon in three, quick strides, and they held a curious little girl between them, trying not to let her see.

"Don't look honey, okay?"

Tanah closed her eyes, winking at the Six model before she did so. Admiral Adama stood there, looking at the tall blonde that had been on his ship once before.

"Marine, put them all in restraints. They'll be questioned before we dispose of them."

Six began to speak, and then quickly closed her mouth when she saw the look being given by Kara. The Viper pilot turned and spoke to Anders, who had stopped on the ladder, not wanting to be stuck in a fight with a baby.

"Come on Sam, it's all right."

Slowly he made his way up the rungs, being as cautious as possible not to slip and fall.

Lee hung back, not wanting to spook anyone now that he was no longer restrained. But his father walked right up to them, looking curious and stern all at once.

"May I see my grandson, please?"

The pleading tone in his voice melted the thoughts Kara had been about to voice. She didn't want their help, and she didn't want their love. But she couldn't deny that this baby was still one quarter Adama – that quarter coming from the Old Man in front of her.

"Yes sir."

Kara gently removed Billy from Sam's arms, seeing the frown that he immediately gave her. She smiled when there was a little girl tugging right then on Sam's leg.

"It's okay Uncle Sammy. Everything's going to be all right."

Sam nodded. He knew there was nothing he could do. But he wasn't going to give up Billy or Kara without a fight. And he would take down Lee Adama with him if he had to.

He watched, rather helplessly, as Kara passed the boy to his grandfather. The Old Man's eyes lit up with fresh tears, illuminating the powder blue of his irises.

"What is his name?"

"Billy. Billy Alexander Thrace, meet your grandpa."

She looked up to see Lee standing several paces behind, and the tears that were lighting his eyes as well. But she would not feel sorry for him now. It would take more than a few tears to break down the walls that Kara had built up concerning this man, Cylon…. _Thing. _

At once Lee knew, without her saying a word, that Kara hated him. She loathed him with every fiber of her being. He could feel it, radiating from her every pore. So he waited anxiously for his father to turn and hand him his son, instead.

He was sorely disappointed. The Old Man passed the child back to its mother, who in turn passed Billy back to Sam's open arms.

"Thank you, Starbuck. Let's go home now."

And Lee felt the rage surge in him anew.

_**zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz**_


	11. Into the fire

"What the frak do you mean by siding with him as a parent, over your own son?"

"I suggest that you lower your voice! Do not forget that I am your superior officer, and even more important than that I am still your father!"

William Adama commanded respect. Even if he had whispered the words, they would have had the same impact as anyone else screaming them aloud. He watched his son's chest rise and fall, a little more slowly each time that he drew in breath. When it had slowed to an acceptable rhythm, he spoke again.

"I didn't side against you, Lee. I am just trying not to create a situation that has no way out. She's a very touchy person right now, and you know that Starbuck always was a little edgy."

Lee looked over at his father, never slowing his pacing of the floor. There was a bit of resentment in that look, almost like that of a petulant child who couldn't quite have its way when it wanted to. He quickly looked down at the worn, old carpet and took a few more breaths before he carefully spoke.

"When will I get to see _my_ son?"

The Old Man took his glasses off to slowly wipe the lenses. Satisfied that they were clear, he put them back on and purposefully pushed them up to the bridge of his nose. He'd known that was coming, and he still didn't like the tone of Lee's voice.

"When they are ready…when I'm ready. There are a few security matters we need to take care of first."

The younger Adama stopped in his tracks then, and looked at his father with an eerie smile. It caused his father to shiver, just a little.

"Who's interrogating the Cylons today?"

Bill sighed again. It was what he had called his son to his quarters for. He wasn't sure of the idea…but Tigh had spent the entire day with them and gotten no where, except for breaking Leoben's jaw in a moment of rage. The Cylon had been laughing at him.

"You are. You…and Sharon are."

His head cocked to one side, Lee wondered why his father would put him together with Agathon's pet. He had never really liked Sharon Valerii when she had been onboard, and this copy of her already knew what it was to begin with.

"Why the two of us? Do you not think I can handle this one on my own?"

"It's not that, son. I want your way and her way. I think that since both of you have some semblance of Cylon in you; you might each be able to glean something different from them. That's why you're in here, not so we could yell at each other."

Lee thought about it carefully, and figured he could use this as a bargaining chip.

"On one condition, dad. I want to see my son."

_**zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz**_

"Oh, look. The half-breed and the traitor are here. To what do we owe this honor?"

Doral looked over at Six, who always had a way with words.

"Shut up Natasi. We owe them nothing. They owe us everything."

"How so?"

Lee directed the question at them all. Simon was already giving him the creeps, inspecting him from the other side of the bars as if he was looking at him through a microscope. They had brought Baltar with them, and Adama was there, too. Sharon stood a little to the side of them all, carefully weighing what she wanted to ask first.

"What is your purpose here? What is your mission?"

It was Natasi who spoke first again, letting the feel of her resentment come across underneath her words.

"We are here for the child. God promised us a child, and since the intended…courier did not deliver, we came for it ourselves."

Baltar flinched a little at her words. The silly little man seemed to work his way over to the nearest corner, wanting to be as far away from the Cylons as possible. But Sharon knew. She was angry inside, and she knew.

"Who are we?"

"We are who we are, Sharon. You better than anyone should know that."

Tired of the exchange, Lee pointed his question to Doral, who had just been watching with a smug look on his face.

"What child are you after?"

"Maybe we'll take them both."

Lee struck out with one arm and grabbed the Cylon by the throat, crushing his windpipe in a matter of seconds. He felt the rage that he held for the Cylons, for Anders, and for anyone else who would get in his way, pouring into his actions. The look of surprise on the Doral copy's face stayed long after the Cylon was dead. Even Natasi began to shudder away from the original experiment that they'd all thought had failed as she saw the dark look in his eyes.

It took Sharon and six marines to pry him off the dead thing's body. Shaking his head, Lee came back to the moment, and began questioning the others. _And they'd better get this right…._ Or they would end up just like Doral, without a hope of being downloaded so far away from their home world.

_**zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz**_

Sam had been gone for two hours. He was on Colonial One, giving a briefing to the President on the conditions of Caprica and Picon. She thought he'd be back by now, but couldn't do anything other than wait. Kara just hoped he'd get back in time.

It wasn't long before the call came from Adama that a marine detail would be with him, escorting Lee to see Billy. She didn't have to let him leave the room with his father, but Adama believed it would be good for all concerned to let the boy be seen by Lee. Kara didn't think so.

_Hurry up Sam_. A knock came on the door and she felt a surge of hope. That hope was dashed as she looked up into William Adama's carefully smiling face. Slightly behind him, she could see Lee coming toward the threshold.

Billy began to cry, sensing his mother's distress. Lee held out his arms for his son, and she reluctantly let Billy go. His crying stopped immediately as he looked up into the eyes of this unfamiliar person. His father looked down at him with such complete love.

"Kara, I…."

She held up one hand to stop him, dashing a part of the happiness he had in being there, with the two of them. William walked over to his favorite pilot.

"Kara…give it time. He is his father and he does have certain rights."

"Oh really? Tell me what kind of rights he has, huh? The same rights that you've given to Sharon to be with Helo, and her child? Don't talk to me about rights! I know how you already feel on the subject. You're willing to break the rules for your own son, but everyone else be damned."

"Now just you wait one minute…."

He stopped when Kara began to cry, and he held this woman that he'd always thought of as his daughter within his fatherly embrace. Adama knew that Kara was right. He'd always been willing to break the rules where she and Lee were concerned.

"Well, maybe it's time for me to make it right."

Kara nodded, wiping her nose with her sleeve. She saw Sam coming to the doorway out of the corner of her eye, being blocked by the marines.

"It's okay, let him in."

The tension in the room rose a few notches when Sam and Lee were within inches of each other. Each of them felt a responsibility for the baby, and each one of them really didn't want to budge.

William Adama shook his head as he told his son that it was time to go. The resigned look on Lee's face was enough to make the Old Man ache inside. But it would be taken care of in time.

"Come on son, we've got some work to do."

After she took the baby from Lee, Kara held on tightly to the boy as Sam turned his back to the door, embracing the two people he cared most about in life. She knew this couldn't go on like this forever, but what they would do with it….

_**zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz**_


	12. Winds of Change

Kara looked over at the man who was sleeping peacefully, oblivious to the motions the child next to him was going through to get his attention. Little Billy Thrace had one leg thrown over Sam's abdomen and had his fingers tangled in the hair of his right armpit. She did her best to suppress a giggle as she grabbed onto Sam's elbow, keeping it from hitting the infant as Billy gave another sharp tug.

"Shh…look."

A gentle smile spread slowly across Sam's face as he looked down at Billy, who was nestled between the two adults. He marveled at the brilliant glint in the little boy's eyes and the look of wonder he had at having his hand in such a furry jumble.

"Ow! All right little man, that's enough."

He picked up the infant and held him aloft with one broad hand. Billy looked like a chubby little cherub hanging in the sky. It wasn't long before he began flailing in Sam's hand, searching for his wings.

"Okay, to your mother you go."

Reaching out, Kara pulled her son down tightly to her chest.

"How quickly they grow, huh? Or something like that…."

Sam's smile disappeared as his thoughts shifted to this little family he had. _Gods I wish he was mine. _Always the doting uncle, Anders had visited his sisters' kids often, getting the experience he knew he'd one day need when he finally met Ms. Right. _Then all hell broke loose. _Who'd have guessed that Ms. Right would have come out of a war they couldn't win…and that she'd get pregnant by someone who half represented the very thing they were fighting so hard against?

His change in mood wasn't missed by Kara, either.

"Sam, what's wrong?"

He sighed that familiar sigh. The one that she knew meant he had something heavy that was weighing on his mind, his heart, and sometimes even his soul.

"Nothing Kara…everything. You know, we really need to talk about…."

"NO, we don't."

She reached up with her free hand and touched him on the face.

"Da-da…."

Kara gasped and looked down at her son, who was looking up and reaching with his little hands, straight at Samuel T. Anders.

"That's right, Billy. That's your da-da."

"That's just _it_, Kara! I'm not! His father is sitting somewhere on this same old bucket. Gods! I don't even pass as his step-dad."

She thought about it for a few seconds, then she cocked her head to one side as she spoke in a very serious tone.

"So let's take care of it, then."

"What?"

Sam looked at her like he was utterly confused.

"You think being his step-dad will make you feel like more of a father? Fine. Marry me then. Marry me today, Sam."

His mouth opened and out came a slow whistle. _Either she's completely off her rocker, or…._

"Are you serious, Kara?"

A smile lit up her eyes before it ever reached her lips.

"Do you love me, Sam?"

"Yeah…. Yes, I do. You know that. How could I not, Kara? You came back for me."

The last was said in a very quiet, lowered voice.

"Then let's get married."

_**Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz**_

_**Sorry it's taken me so long to update. I just love cliffhangers, don't you? It's what makes us keep coming back for more. I'll put the other parts up soon after I get them typed into the compooter. Thanks, and please read and review. Yep, that little bluish-purple button at the bottom of your screen marked 'go'.**_


	13. Chapter 21

"By the power vested in me by the gods and as President of the twelve colonies…. I now pronounce you husband and wife. Mr. and Mrs. Samuel T. Anders. You may kiss the bride."

They both looked at President Roslin, then at each other. Sam bent down to kiss her, but Kara laid one hand on his chest to stop him.

"Wait, Madame President?"

"Yes?"

"Would you mind christening Billy? With his new last name, that is…."

Laura Roslin folded her arms and looked questioningly at the newlyweds. She wasn't sure it was the wisest decision, but the request had been made by the child's mother. _This is going to bite me in the ass later._

"All right."

Kara motioned to Racetrack, who had been brought in as both a witness and as a babysitter. She was seated next to Sharon and Helo, holding little Billy, and on the other side was Corporal Venner, who had been assigned to bring Sharon to the service at Kara's request. No one had told the Old Man about the wedding. Kara was pretty sure he would have been the first one there to object.

Roslin motioned to the marine.

"I need some water, Corporal. You cannot to a proper christening without water."

"But ma'am…."

"No buts, Corporal…. If she was going to try something, I believe she would have already done so, don't you?"

"Yes ma'am."

_**zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz**_

After a few minutes' pause, Kara handed Billy to the open arms of the President as a small cup of water was placed on the podium in front of them. Laura placed her fingers in the cup, sprinkled a little water on the child's forehead and then began to speak.

"I hereby baptize you Billy…. I'm sorry, what's the rest of his name?"

Kara let out a nervous laugh.

"Billy Alexander Anders."

"So be it. I baptize you Billy Alexander Anders. May the gods watch over you and protect you always. Now…back to your mother."

And with a quick peck at his temple, she passed Billy back into Kara's waiting arms.

"Now, if you'll all excuse me, I have other matters to attend to."

But Samuel Anders did not hear her. Tears glistened in his eyes as the realization of what the last half hour really meant to him. He now had both a wife and a child he was truly responsible for. Not just a girlfriend with a kid. _We've come a long way from fighting toasters on Caprica._

"Excuse me, Lieutenant Agathon, Sharon. It's time to go."

Helo stood up and nodded at the marine. He knew the man was only doing his job. But at the same time Adama had let Helo and Sharon stay together with their daughter. They had been confined to quarters, just as had Lee. The Old Man still hadn't finished with the President's ordered interrogations of the brig's three newest occupants.

"Sharon."

She nodded and took the hand that he offered her.

"Karl, Sharon?"

The couple turned together toward Kara who had spoken to them.

"Thank you both…for everything."

They both nodded, and then left the room, followed closely by Corporal Venner. Kara turned to Sam and handed him the baby.

"So…Mr. Anders?"

"Mrs. Anders…little man Anders?"

Kara let go that classic Starbuck guffaw; the one that hadn't made an appearance in a very, very long while.

And for a short moment in time, her life felt complete.

_**zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz**_

"I want to speak to my father, now."

"I've made the call, sir. That's the best I can do."

"Well do it again, Corporal!"

Lee punched the unforgiving bulkhead as his free hand slammed the door shut. He barely registered the pain radiating from the wound that had appeared when his skin tore on impact. _Control yourself, Lee. You cannot lose that control._

He was absentmindedly looking for something to cover his bleeding knuckles when a knock came at his door.

"It's open!"

Cool, calm and collected. It was the persona he wished to convey, while on the inside he was anything but.

William Adama noticed his son's hand right away, but said nothing of it. To him, the tension radiating from Lee was easily recognizable. It was, after all, a family trait. Show no emotion on the outside, even if all you wanted to really do was pummel the frak out of someone. _Or could that be the Cylon inside?_

"You asked for me, son? What's this all about? We're supposed to have dinner together in less than an hour."

Lee turned and sat down on the worn out couch. He ran his good fingers through his hair and took in a deep breath.

"What's going on with Kara, Dad? Tell me what all the whispering's about."

Bill look curiously at him. He wasn't sure what Lee meant by 'whispering'.

"What do you mean, son?"

"I heard something when I went to the gym with my escort! Something about Kara and Anders…but nobody's talking to me, dad. Why isn't anyone talking to me!"

The desperation in his son's voice made him understand more of what the younger man must be feeling. Except for a morning run, an hour in the gym, and dinner with his father, Lee was being confined to quarters at all times. And isolation like that could make you start feeling crazy after a while.

"Maybe we need to find a way to get you out of here for a while, son. I don't know how to do it, but we'll arrange something else."

Lee kicked at the coffee table in front of him. His anger was beginning to rise.

"I'm not going crazy, Dad! Something's going on out there and I want to know what! And stop giving me that look. I am not a child!"

Bill gently laughed as he shifted his feet and made his way to sit down to his son's right. He didn't know what 'look' he was giving him, but Lee obviously didn't like it. The Old Man did his best to put on more of a poker face.

"I'm sorry. I didn't realize that's what I was doing. But I can say this…I really do not know what it is you're talking about. I will do my best to find out."

Sitting there, Lee nodded his head in response. He'd heard everything his father had said to him, but couldn't believe exactly how in the dark the Old Man might really be where Kara and Billy's lives were concerned. He forced the breath out of his lungs to say something…anything.

"Okay. Thank you."

_**zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz**_

An hour later….

"She WHAT! Tell the President that her presence is requested in my ward room within the hour. And if she doesn't agree with that then you can tell her it's an order!"

Dee pulled her headset back quickly as she heard Adama's words reverberate through CIC. As she looked up, she noticed that everyone else felt his anger as well.

"Mr. Gaeta, you have the comm."

William Adama turned and slowly and deliberately walked back out the door he had entered about forty-five minutes before. _Now I understand why Lee was so concerned_.

He walked slowly down to the ward room and leaned against the railing next to the planning table. _Laura Roslin_.

He didn't have to wait long. Within fifteen minutes, Dee had passed along that a Raptor from Colonial One had docked in the hangar bay and that the President would be escorted to meet him shortly.

She entered the room with a grave look on her face. Laura knew this was a day she might begin to regret. But she would not excuse her actions. _I didn't get this far by apologizing to everyone for everything I've done in life._

"Now Admiral…."

"Stop right there. I want to know how two of my pilots, a civilian, a Cylon prisoner and my own grandson got off this ship without my knowledge, and why you were the one that issued the flight order."

There was an underlying current in Adama's cool tone. She had known him long enough to know exactly how angry he was on the inside.

"It was a request by two colonists for a marriage to be performed. Since there is no priest within the fleet, and they obviously knew you would object to the ceremony, I am the only person left that has the legal authority to do so."

Bill stood there with his arms crossed, mirroring Roslin's stance. It was clear that each one of them would have their say, and that neither one of them was willing to budge.

"I understand that you are the President, but again, this was one of my pilots. Therefore, the pilot in question has to have permission from the military to request the ceremony in the first place. Military law has been broken."

Laura smiled a victory smile. In uttering those very words, she knew that he had left the door open for her to get off the hook.

"Then the ceremony itself, and to perform it, was a civilian matter. But if military law has been broken by a member of YOUR military, then as a member of the colonial fleet, it is under your authority to punish that person. Am I correct?"

Slightly defeated, he sighed aloud.

"So what are you suggesting, that I put the mother of my grandson in the brig? The days of Kara Thrace residing in the brig are most likely over. Unless she decides to deck Saul again, that is."

They both laughed aloud together. But neither of them had moved. Laura had known that this one ceremony would lead to a world of problems, but she was now free of it. It wasn't her decision to make. For Bill Adama, there was no such luck. Nothing had ever been that easy for him.

"So, what do you suggest I tell my son?"

_**Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz**_

_**Now for those of you who are ticked at me for the Kara/Anders thing and not letting it be Kara/Lee…patience. This thing will go on for a little while. You never know what will happen next dearies….**_


	14. A father's struggle

It took four marines to get Lee of off the Admiral. It took another two along with them to hold him down so that Doc Cottle could inject him with a sedative. Twice. After forty-five minutes he had finally calmed down enough for them to even make an attempt at restraining him.

"Come on Bill; let me take a look at that neck of yours."

Adama didn't move. He was still leaning against the doorframe where he'd stood since they'd pried his son's fingers from around his throat. _He tried to kill me_. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Cottle moving towards him.

"Admiral, I need to look at your throat."

Ugly bruises were already starting to form underneath the red patches Lee's fingers had left. But Bill didn't wish to be touched. He was still reeling from the fact that his own son, his own flesh and blood, had tried to kill him.

"No, I'm fine. I will be fine."

His voice came out in a hoarse croak, showing no sign of the deep, somber timbre it usually contained.

"Gods dammit, Bill. I've been treating you on this ship since that boy was twelve years old! He's stronger than us. Do you get that now? I need to make sure that you're just hoarse and that he didn't do any worse damage. Now open up!"

He allowed Cottle to do a quick examination, all the while thinking about what had occurred in the last hour. Laura had left and gone back to Colonial One. The elder Adama didn't even have a chance to knock on the door to his quarters when Lee swung the door right open and went straight for the jugular. It was like he already knew. His father wasn't able to get in any words. The marines who had been in the hallway called for assistance and then pounced.

"Fine, there's no permanent damage. But I wouldn't recommend you give any long speeches for a while, either. Understood?"

Bill nodded. He had stopped paying attention anyway. The only thing he could hear was the soft whimpering of his only son left in this life, aching for the one thing he could no longer have.

"Gone from me…. Gone from me…. Gone from me…."

Whispering commands to the marines standing guard, he walked out of the room, leaving Lee all alone. He would go and talk to her…convince her to come back with him. It was the only thing he knew would bring his son back.

"All right mister, I know it's not the freshest thing in the world, but powdered eggs and mashed potatoes were the only thing the mess had available, so stop making Mommy look like a bad painting, okay?"

Kara laughed at the early signs of artistic ability her son was showing. The only problem being that he was using the floor, the walls, his mother and himself as the canvas. Sam walked over with a wet cloth to try and contain some of the damage.

"Here, use this."

She gladly took the cloth from him, starting with the floor underneath the old, borrowed high chair some colonist had discarded on one of the civilian ships. _Gods, this is going to take a lot of work._

"Come here."

Sitting down on the floor, Sam pulled her down into his lap, cleaning her face with another cloth he had brought from the sink. It wasn't so bad, until he got to her hair.

"You look so cute with mashed potatoes stuck in your hair."

She looked up and caught his eye. He was smiling, but not in a joking manner. It was a gentle smile; one that melted every defense she had ever put up against the universe.

"What? Why are you smiling like that at me?"

_She's so beautiful, even like this. _Kara was sitting there in her workout sweats, with no makeup on. She had food in her hair and on her skin, and to Sam, she was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen.

"I love you."

"That's it? Nothing else?"

"I love you, Mrs. Anders."

"Da-da!"

Sam looked up to be greeted by a glop on egg in his eye not two seconds later. There was a knock on the door.

"You go get that. I'll take care of our little monster here. Come on, Billy. I think it's time for a little sink bath."

Kara smiled as he took the baby over to the sink. As she got closer to the door, she knew something wasn't right. The hairs on the back of her neck began to prickle. When she opened the door, she wasn't disappointed.

"Oh my gods Admiral, what happened!"

Adama motioned to come in, seeing as he could still barely speak. Kara led him to the small loveseat that they had in the receiving area of their small quarters, and then leaned over to look at those ugly black marks.

He waited patiently for her to finish, then placed a gentle hand on her arm to get her attention.

"Did Lee do this?"

Bill Adama nodded. He watched the anger rising in Kara's eyes; knew that she wanted to punish his son for doing this to him.

"That frakking son of a bitch!"

Having put the baby down for a nap, Sam decided to come back into the room at that exact moment.

"Is something wrong?"

But he only needed to see the tears and the redness of her eyes and nose to know that something was very wrong with Kara. He came around in front of Adama and offered his hand.

"Sir."

It was then that he, too, saw the Old Man's throat. He put one hand on Kara's shoulder, letting her know that he was there for her, no matter what.

"Kara, I need you to do something for me…."

Bill somehow got the words to come out of his throat.

"Sir, don't say anything. Sam, would you get me a pen and paper, please? Over in the desk, top drawer on the right."

He brought her the objects she had requested, taking a seat on the arm of the couch. Slowly the Old Man began to write, as if he was taking his time collecting his thoughts.

Kara looked down at the pad he passed over to her.

"Lee knows? That didn't take long, did it? How does he know, sir? Did you tell him?"

She knew the answer as soon as the tired Admiral shook his head. He looked up and held Kara's gaze, and she could see a profound sadness there.

"But how…?"

All three of their heads turned to the tiny room that was closed off from the rest of the quarters, where the baby slept. Kara started shaking her head back and forth.

"No, that's just not possible."

Again Adama began to scribble on the notepad. This time both Kara and Sam did a double take when they read the words there.

"You're saying that Lee could 'feel' where we were? That's how you found us on Picon?"

More scribbling.

"Oh, so it's a little vaguer than that."

She turned to Sam, whose forehead was creased by the confusion he felt. But it made sense to Kara. She had seen how Tanah reacted to things. Her child might only be a quarter Cylon, but there was bound to be some kind of connection still there.

"The baby, Sam. He felt the baby. He didn't know exactly where we were, which would explain why they had to go through every single one of the colonies to get to us. But he knew we would be on one of them, because the baby knew that we were on one of them…even as small as he is. Gods, sir…."

As crazy as it sounded, there was some kind of connection between them. A bond between father and son. Lords of Kobol…we'll never be able to be free of him. No matter where they went or what they did, Lee would always be there with them. Kara and Sam both knew at that instant how frakked they truly were.

"You want me to what?"

The Old Man had scribbled on the page again. He wanted her to come with him to his quarters, to talk to Lee. Kara began shaking her head vigorously as her blood went cold. Sam placed an arm around her shoulders as she began to vehemently put that idea out of Adama's head.

"Kara, please…. I need you to come with me, just this once…."

He barely screeched the words out. Lee had done a good job trying to silence him. But he needed Kara to make sure he was all right. Sam saw the look in his eyes and began questioning the situation.

"What do you want her to do, just go and talk to him? Are there enough guards around him?"

He looked at the ink the Admiral placed before him. Guards…restraints…no problems…. He nodded his understanding, passing the pad to her.

"Kara, go ahead. It will be okay."

"Sam, I…."

She looked up into his eyes. She really didn't want to talk with Lee, but she didn't want to disappoint his father, either. But in his eyes, she only found understanding. Sam knew what the connection was between Kara and this family. They'd talked all about it, long into the night, on more than one occasion. And somehow, he'd understood.

"Okay, sir. Give me a few minutes."


	15. Steady now

Kara splashed cold water on her face once, twice, three times. She looked quickly into the mirror and saw the trepidation in her eyes. _No, you're going to do this for the Old Man. Starbuck doesn't chicken out. _She set her jaw, put up an invisible wall to keep her emotions in check, and then turned to head out with him.

"Okay, sir. I'm ready."

Sam stood there, hand on his chin, watching her go.

"Don't worry Kara; I'll still be here when you get back."

The words were meant to reassure her, but Kara could feel the undercurrent in them. He didn't like this any better than she did. But her husband knew that it might be the only thing that could be done. _For the Old Man._ She repeated the phrase over and over in her head, gaining strength that she was doing Adama a favor, and no one else.

Kara wasn't sure what to expect when the marines opened the door to the Admiral's quarters…. _It sure as frak wasn't this. _

There he was, Lee Adama, son of a god, tied to his father's bed, looking helpless. But Kara remained cautious. She didn't know if this was for real, or if it was some trick designed to get her there; one that they had all fallen for.

When he nodded to the marines, they saluted Adama and made their way single file out the door, leaving it open a few inches in case they needed help immediately. Bill thought that maybe a little privacy might make it easier for Kara to try and reach his son…his human son. He motioned to her to follow him as he sat down in his favorite leather chair, pulling out a journal to write on.

"Go talk to him. What do you mean, go talk to him? What do I say?"

Shrugged shoulders were the only response she got. She began muttering under her breath, to the amusement of the Old Man.

"Fine. Go and talk to him. What the frak am I supposed to say to a man who ripped my heart out and caused me to go catatonic after he so conveniently knocked me up? Frak."

Slowly and cautiously she crept toward the edge of the bed. It was low, like a platform bed, so that she could sit in front of him and look almost directly into his eyes. And that is exactly what she did.

What she saw was a broken man. He was wounded. Not just on the outside, from where the marines had to subdue him, but on the inside, too. His gaze was hollow, and his lips kept moving, but there came no sound.

There was no recognition, at first. She moved a little closer, reaching out to stroke his hair. It was something she did with her son when she was trying to soothe him. They sat like that, he silently mouthing some words while she stroked and stroked and stroked, ever so softly. It was so quiet that Kara almost forgot someone else was in the room with them.

After about an hour, the silent words stopped. His mouth closed and Lee blinked several times before he tried to reach out a hand to touch her. But he had forgotten that he was restrained; pulling and tugging were of no use. He broke down again and began to weep.

Kara's hand moved to touch his cheek. After all this time, this was the Lee that she had been missing. This was the person she remembered underneath, which had been replaced by something she could not, would not, love.

"Shhh, Lee…it's all right. It's all right. Shhh…. Starbuck's here."

He leaned his cheek into her hand, the way a kitten would when looking for comfort. She kept repeating those words over and over again until she was tired of them, and he had fallen into a deep sleep.

Bill Adama watched the exchange with interest, and wondered if indeed everything might turn out all right.

_**zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz**_

Kara was tired, and her muscles ached. She had been sitting on the floor in front of the Admiral's bed for far too long. She missed her husband and she missed her son. When the Old Man told her she could go, she looked at the clock and realized just how long she'd been gone. She even smiled as her stomach began to rumble.

Sam was waiting for her in the bed. The baby had long since settled into his crib to sleep, but her husband sat there under the dim light of the lamp. One look at his face and she could tell that he was not happy.

"Sam, thank you for being so understanding. I…."

"Don't. I don't want to talk about it, Kara."

"But…."

"Frak, I said I don't want to talk about it. I didn't want you to go down there, you know. I could care less what happens to him and I would give anything to get him out of our lives for good."

Kara didn't understand. She'd thought he'd wanted her to go help Adama figure Lee out. _What the frak is going on?_ She took a hard look at Sam and was greeted with one in return.

"The only reason I said to go was because I owe the Admiral. That, and I believe in Karma. You know what Karma is?"

"Just because I'm a Viper pilot doesn't mean I'm stupid…."

"I didn't say you were. The human part of Lee Adama was kind to me, once. When you had completely given up on me, he convinced you to talk to me – so we could have some kind of a resolution. But then you had to go and get pregnant by that sonofabitch."

"Sam, listen…."

Kara reached up to touch him but he knocked her hand away. She looked up and saw the sheer anger in his eyes. She had never seen that kind of emotion in anyone except for Lee. But Sam kept that anger in check, whereas Lee would have decked her by now.

"No, you listen. I love you – you're my wife. But you do this favor for the Admiral and then we move on. I'm not going to share you with him again. Goodnight Kara."

He picked up his pillow and a cover and made his way out to the loveseat, leaving her to sleep alone in a cold bed. It was their wedding night, and already the Adamas had made it come to this. She wasn't going to let them ruin her life again. Sullenly, she punched her pillow and made a vow to take care of this situation in the morning, and then she would go on being a wife and mother the best way that she knew how.

Right before falling asleep, a smile lit her face. She was picturing her husband, as tall as her best friend Helo, trying to fit onto that tiny little loveseat and actually get some rest.

_**zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz**_

Hang on tight folks! It's going to be a little rockier for a time hereafter. All good things come to those who wait...:)


	16. Chapter 24

_Bad move, Sam…bad move._ It was hard to tell in the bowels of space what time it was, but he knew several hours had passed since he'd marched out, in a huff, to sleep on this poor excuse of a couch.

"Frakking great wedding night my ass is having."

The words echoed through the room as he realized he'd said them aloud. Toss, then turn; then toss again. After he'd had enough of imitating a salad, he decided to suck it up and go to sleep. _Back to bed I go._

He found Kara, curled up in a fetal position with a frown marring her angelic face. Sam wanted to wipe that frown away, knowing that chances were he'd put it there. Spooning her into his sturdy frame, he pulled her in tight; kissing her lightly on the cheek before drifting off to sleep.

Kara relaxed as she listened to Sam's breathing enter a slow and steady rhythm. She had been feigning sleep, knowing that her husband wouldn't be able to stand the couch for long. Their bed wasn't very wide, but at least it was long enough that his toes weren't dangling off the end.

She stared at the soft red light coming from the alarm clock in the corner, and found her thoughts drifting back to Lee. She had seen him sad before – depressed even. She had seen him tired to the point of sheer exhaustion. But never in a million years did she think she'd see the Almighty Apollo so…broken.

_Forget about it, woman. You've got a family now. A real family_. She took comfort in the thought. A smile drifted across her lips again as Sam's own steady heartbeat lulled her to sleep.

_**Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz**_

Little Tanah giggled as she watched her still sleeping parents. Her daddy laid there with his head cocked back, mouth wide open. Every time he snored she giggled again. Her mommy, sleeping peacefully with her head on daddy's chest, began to stir at the sound of her little girl's lilting laugh.

Sharon stretched her arms wide, almost taking out one of Helo's eyes with one elbow. She squinted at the light in the room, which could only have been from one of the occupants either turning it on, or someone having forgotten to turn it off the night before. Sharon was betting on the former. Closing her eyes, she whispered softly, so as not to wake the man beside her. But she fully expected to get an answer, from a completely different source altogether.

"What time is it?"

"Oh six-thirty, sir."

Opening one eye, she suppressed her own laugh at seeing her child there, giving her a crisp salute.

"Come here, you…."

Tanah fell down into her mother's open arms as Sharon reached up to turn off the light.

"I love you so much, kiddo. Now go back to sleep."

"Yes, Mommy. And Mommy? I love you, too."

Helo smiled to himself as his two girls drifted back off to sleep.

_**Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz**_

"Are you going to the gym today?"

He hadn't mentioned the argument they'd had the night before, and Kara wasn't going to ruin this day by bringing it up, either. But even as they sat at the long table eating their breakfast, she could feel the many pairs of eyes focused on them. Sam could feel it, too.

"You know something? I think I've lost my appetite."

These people had no right to be looking at them this way. They'd done nothing wrong. The only thing Sam was guilty of was trying to protect his family. Kara nodded. She didn't feel much like eating, either.

"Yeah. Me, too. I think little Billy's pretty much finished here, anyway."

"What time do you have to go see the Admiral?"

They walked together to the conveyor belt; Kara balancing Billy on one hip while Sam put their trays on.

"Pretty much any time I want. He's not on duty today and told me to drop by whenever. He even said he'd baby-sit if you and I wanted some alone time."

Kara smiled broadly. There had been very little time for them to be alone since the baby's birth. Looking over at him as they walked toward their quarters, she could tell by the smile mirrored on Sam's face that he was having the same thoughts as she.

"Well, we might just have to take him up on that offer."

_**Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz**_

Six hours. Six whole hours of peace, quiet, and zero diaper changes.

Kara stretched her body along the long, lean length of her husband. She loved the way Sam's hands felt on her hips – fuller from after she'd carried their son.

"You know, Kara, we have to go and get him sooner or later."

"You always know how to ruin a good time, don't you?"

She said it playfully, and Kara could see he took it that way, too. Mainly by the quick pinch he gave her right buttock as she got up out of bed to clean up and get dressed.

"Hey!"

"Hay is for horses, and I, Mrs. Anders, am your husband…not a farm animal."

"Yeah, yeah…the voice of reason calling. I've still got some things to do while you're entertaining our son, remember?"

Sam groaned, raking his fingers through his hair as he thought about the task she still had to fulfill. He'd honestly been hoping that she would just forget about it.

"Are you sure you're okay with it, Kara? There's no danger to going and talking to him, is there?"

Kara scoffed at the idea. There was no way she was going to let Lee Adama ever hurt her again.

"Ha. Very funny, Sam. Tell me how you think that he's going to get through six inch steel bars and four marine guards, hmm? I'll be just fine."

She pulled the familiar tank over her head and pulled a washcloth from above the sink to try and clean up a bit. The dark circles under her eyes let her reflection know that she'd slept horribly since they'd returned to the ship, and she was tired of letting Lee Adama have that kind of control over her life.

A quick kiss on the lips and she pulled the covers off of Sam, leaving him completely naked on the bed before her. A flash of desire passed over her, but she used her pilot's brain to keep it in check. There was a job she had to do, and the quicker the better.

"Tell you what, I'll go get Billy and you can get dressed while I'm gone. You've got…fifteen minutes?"

"Ha! I could dress four times in a row with that amount of time."

"How about five minutes, then?"

She slammed the door shut behind her and nearly knocked over a few nuggets as she sprinted down the corridor to the Admiral's quarters. When she got to the room, the hatch was open, her son and his grandfather playing with some blocks on the red carpet below.

"Hello Captain. How goes the married life today?"

Kara blushed at the words. It had always been the one thing that she couldn't talk to the Old Man about. Not when they had talked about Zak, not EVEN when she'd gotten pregnant with Billy. And she certainly wasn't going to allow him to get even close to the subject now.

"Fine, sir. How's my son?"

Bill chuckled. Starbuck never could handle the personal stuff. He ruffled his grandson's hair.

"Growing like a weed. Billy? Billy…mama's here."

The little boy turned in recognition of hearing 'mama'. He began scooting across the floor at a Viper's pace to close the gap between himself and his mother. Kara bent down and scooped him up in her arms, smiling at him like she hadn't seen him in years.

"Hello baby. How's my bubba? Is he a good baby? Yes he is, isn't he? Thank you sir."

"Anytime Starbuck. He's a beautiful boy. Will you be going to see Lee today?"

"Yes sir."

"Will you take the baby to see Lee today?"

Kara shook her head adamantly. Even if Lee were normal; as normal she guessed as a Cylon could be, she would never, ever take a baby to see someone being housed in the brig.

"No sir. I don't think it appropriate."

"You have to let him see his father sometime, Captain Thrace."

"It's Captain Anders, sir. And he's already got a father. I don't have to accommodate any Cylon, complete or hybrid, sir. You've already made that abundantly clear where Sharon and Helo are concerned."

She spat the words out. They were laced with her pent up anger. _How dare he_?

"I've already said that maybe I was wrong. Didn't I? And I'm sorry about the 'Thrace' bit. It's a habit, you know."

"Yes sir."

His semi-apology deflated her. She no longer wished to argue with him, or with anyone. Kara just wanted to get over the next bit of time and then go back home to be with her family.

"Thank you for everything. I'll bring him by in a couple of days, if that's all right, sir."

Bill nodded. His grandson held his gaze as he offered the little boy a gentle smile.

"Thank you, Kara. I'd like that."

_**Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz**_

An hour later, she found herself sitting on a chair outside Lee's cell. _Frakking idiots._ They'd somehow managed to put him in the cell next to the tall number Six. Leoben and Simon were in the third cell – the one that Sharon had so recently vacated.

"Lee, what the hell is wrong with you?"

The words were said aloud, but no one really heard them. She had said them so soft and so low, Kara wasn't sure that she'd really said them after all.

Lee was still in a fetal position, only this time there were no restraints. He hadn't tried to physically harm anyone since the evening before when he'd tried to silence his own father. _Besides, he's behind all that steel. Who's going to try to get out of there without noticing?_

"What's wrong, Star-buck? Afraid that Mr. Hybrid might try to do you some actual harm?"

Kara looked over at Six, with whom she had absolutely no patience. Every bit of her itched to yank the Cylon up by the hair and throw her out the nearest airlock.

"Oh, why don't you just shut the frak up? If I remember correctly, it wasn't too long ago that you guys were interested in creating a 'hybrid', weren't you?"

Six's lips pursed in anger. She was just about to say something else when Lee began to cry. It wasn't a loud, sobbing sound; just a soft, low whimper. Kara rose and spoke to the guards.

"But sir…"

"No buts. That's an order. And don't come in here unless I knock on that door from the inside, you got it?"

"Yes sir."

One by one, the marines left the brig, locking the hatch behind them. Kara took the spare set of keys off the hook on the wall and used one of them to open Lee's cell. She lay down on the cold concrete beside him, looking at him closely to see if there was any recognition. She found none. Just like the night before, he was shedding silent tears as he stared off into whatever space that he could see, and they could not.

"Come on Lee, talk to me. Say something, anything."

But after an hour of the same, he still said nothing. He would not look directly at her and said nothing to her. Kara put a hand to his face, willing him to pay attention.

"I'm sorry. For whatever it's worth…I'm sorry, Lee."

_There, he blinked._ She knew she didn't imagine it. _Lee just frakking blinked! _With the hand that was already touching his face, Kara began to lightly slap his cheek, hoping he would snap out of it. She closed her eyes, wishing he would answer her.

"Lee, come on, please? I said I was sorry."

"Sorry! All you can say to me is sorry? You frakking bitch! You're mine, do you hear me? You've always been mine, and you always will be."

Lee sniffed the air around them, catching Anders' scent on her skin. His voice lowered a few decibels, so that only she could hear what he was speaking.

"So, he thinks he can mark you as his, does he? Well, I guess we'll just have to make sure that everybody knows what the score is, won't we?"

Kara began to shake as a saying she was told over and over and over again as a child popped into her head.

_Be careful what you wish for._

_**Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz**_


	17. Silent Pain

Lee could see what he was doing. He could feel everything, too. He knew his left hand was covering her mouth, keeping her from screaming. He looked down to see his body pressing down on her legs, pinning her down while his right hand was forcing down the waistband of her sweats. Apollo was screaming on the inside, but he was powerless to stop himself.

After a few minutes, her body began to relax. The animal inside of him was being rough with her. It was taking what it considered his; reminding her that **_she_** was his.

The tears he saw gliding down her cheeks as she gasped for air, clawing to pull her pants back on…. They sliced him down to his very soul. But his other half calmly stood up, straightened his clothing and hair and began to speak.

"That was for you to remember. I told you once, Kara. You can run all you want from me, but you will never, ever be able to hide."

Lee heard the low laughter of Six coming from behind him, right before he blacked out; his body hitting the cold metal below him with an audible thud.

_**Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz**_

Kara scooted to the other side of the cell. If anyone walked in right then, they would see clearly what had happened. She could feel the eyes of the Cylons in the other cells watching her, no doubt waiting to see if she would scream for help. She wasn't going to give them the satisfaction.

"It's your own fault, Starbuck. You should never have told the guards to leave."

The garbled sentences came from the still healing mouth of Leoben. He was the only one of the three who wasn't sitting there with a smug smile on his lips. Instead, he was shaking his head sadly.

"Frak you. Frak all of you."

She stood up carefully, checking her body for any signs of outer bruising. It pained her to stand up straight. _Suck it up_. She refused to let anyone know what had happened there. They would kill Lee for it, and she wouldn't let that kind of pain happen to the Old Man. He'd already lost enough. _Besides,_ something told her, deep in her gut…_that had not been Lee forcing himself on her._ That it had been the Cylon in him, instead. It was the look of anguish she had seen in his eyes, right before he passed out cold.

Cautiously, she made her way over to his limp form. She used a foot to touch him, to shove him; to try and rouse him. It was no use. _Maybe he has a concussion. _Pulling her fingers through her hair, she waited a minute or two, then let herself back out of the cell, locking it tightly behind her.

The marines came quickly when she called, hauling a stretcher with them to take his body down to sickbay. But it wasn't his body she was concerned with. It was what she was unsure was now happening with his soul.

_**Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz**_

Kara had been acting odd all evening. When he'd asked her how the session with the Admiral's son went, she barely acknowledged his question.

'_Fine. Just fine.'_

There was something he couldn't put his finger on. Something had happened that was hurting her on the inside. She hadn't acted this way since before the baby was born. He climbed into bed, reaching out to touch her before he turned off the light.

Kara involuntarily shied away from Sam. She didn't mean to, and she hoped he just thought she was cold. Mentally she willed herself to scoot across the mattress and rest against his sturdy frame.

Sam felt her against his back. _Maybe I was wrong. Maybe it really was nothing_. But he couldn't stop the nagging feeling in the pit of his stomach. He rolled over to face Kara, placing a soft kiss on her lips.

She thought about the love that she had for him. She thought about the love he consistently showed her and her son. That gave her the strength to put Lee and his violation of her out of her head, for now. Clinging tightly to him, afraid to let go, she finally found a way to fall asleep.

_**Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz**_

"Mama, I need to see Aunt Kara."

Helo laughed as his daughter once again decided to wake them up at the crack of dawn. _Figuratively speaking, of course._ He rolled over and picked up his little bundle, nuzzling her with the fresh growth of hair on his chin.

"Come on Tanah. Why don't we let mommy sleep a little longer, hmm? She's very tired from taking care of you all day yesterday and I think she might like a few more minutes. Okay?"

Looking up at him with a distressed look on her face, she bent her head down to his chest, resting for a moment.

"Okay, Daddy. I'm hungry."

"Let's get dressed and we'll go and find something to eat."

Helo was allowed down to the mess, but Sharon and Tanah were not. Nonetheless, he brought food back for them every few days to eat together so he wouldn't have to go down there and eat alone quite as often.

"Let's see. We have cereal, one package of freeze-dried eggs, several pieces of toast, and what looks like dried oats. Okay, you pick."

Tanah turned her nose up at most of them. Finally she decided on the oats.

"But only if you put some milk and sugar in them. And I want them hot, Daddy. Mommy always makes them that way for me."

"Hot it is."

He busied himself looking for the necessary ingredients, but out of the corner of his eye he could see that something was bothering her. _What could possibly be of concern to a three year-old child?_

"Tanah, honey, can you tell Daddy what's wrong with you?"

The little girl shook her dark curls. He didn't understand. There was nothing wrong with her.

"Not me, Daddy. Aunt Kara. Something's bothering Aunt Kara."

Helo laughed. He knew that Tanah was sensitive to the other people around her, but they hadn't seen Starbuck in three days. _How could she know what Kara is feeling?_

"Come on, kiddo. How can you tell there's something wrong with Aunt Kara? It's been a while since you've seen her. Do you want me to take you by your aunt and uncle's place this morning?"

She brightened up a bit with that news. It made her smile to think of that little family and her special little cousin Billy. Tanah spoke rather matter-of-factly.

"Okay."

_**Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz**_

Kara was changing the baby on the floor when there was a knock at the door. Sam came from behind her.

"Don't worry, I'll get it."

He opened the door and smiled as he looked down at little Tanah Agathon, who was holding her arms up to him in greeting. Sam swept her up and tickled her little belly as he greeted Helo.

"Come on in. Nice of you to stop by. Where's Sharon?"

"She's not feeling well today. That little rascal wanted to come and see her aunt and uncle, so I figured why not – her mother might need a little time alone."

Nodding, he motioned the pilot inside and shut the door behind him. Setting Tanah down, he reached to pick up Billy and sit on the couch with him. The little girl shot like a bottle rocket into Kara's empty arms.

"Nice to see you, too, kiddo. What's my favorite little niece been up to lately?"

When she looked down she saw a face of profound sadness.

"Tanah, what's wrong?"

Sam, and Helo, too, were now looking over at the two of them with puzzled looks on their faces. Tanah reached out and placed a hand over Kara's heart.

"I'm sorry you're hurt, Aunt Kara. But it will go away soon."

She leaned in and gave the older woman a big bear hug before resting her head on Kara's chest. A few moments later, the child was sleeping peacefully, sucking heartily on her thumb. Sam looked questioningly at her, but she couldn't hold his gaze. It was Helo who finally spoke.

"What the hell was that all about?"

She couldn't answer him. Kara just shrugged and chose a spot on the carpet to focus on, rocking the sleeping little girl in arms back and forth…back and forth. The motion was soothing not just for her, but for Kara as well.

But Sam didn't miss this little change in her mood, nor the familiar rocking. And he would be damned if she was going to avoid his questions later on that night.

_**zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz**_


	18. Chapter 26

**_Here goes the next part. And something you'll love: It's a long one. I've been writing ideas for three days straight. So have fun, because it will probably be the weekend before you get any more. Okay? B-Bye!_**

**_zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz  
_**  
"How is he Major?"

Adama saw his son lying in sickbay with all sorts of monitors hooked up to him and a crash cart at the ready. Cottle was flipping back and forth from one page to another on Lee's chart, making notes here and there.

"The same, Bill. He was in a coma last night; he's in a coma now. Condition unchanged."

"How did this happen again?"

The good doctor was chewing on the end of his pencil, thinking intently. It was another few minutes before he looked up and acknowledged that he'd heard the Old Man with a response.

"Sorry. I'm trying to figure out why he hasn't come out of it yet. Let's see... Starbuck accompanied the marines in here with Apollo on a stretcher. She said he woke up from his stupor, stood up, took one look at her and then passed out. She couldn't reach him in time from where she was standing before he hit the deck. End of story. There's no trauma apart from a large knot at the back of his head, consistent with a fall. There's no subdural hematoma, no swelling, no increase of any fluid of any kind."

Adama took all of this in and then looked at his only living son. _Why Lee? Why_? He turned around and looked at Doc Cottle again.

"And the coma?"

Cottle shook his head back and forth, scratching a spot near his temple.

"Damned if I know."

**_zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz  
_**  
"Hey, are you up for that pyramid game tomorrow night?"

Helo picked up his groggy daughter from Kara's now numb arms. Sam was game. He'd continued to pretend that nothing was bothering him all afternoon. _Why stop now_? He reached over to Kara and pulled her to him; hugging her tightly.

"Yeah...sure. As long as the missus here will let me, that is."

Kara scoffed as she waved him away.

"Please...you'd play a pyramid game if you were dying, Sam. I don't think you'd let me stop you."

"Yeah, I think she's right, Sam. That would be like trying to keep her out of a Viper. Goodbye Mrs. Anders."

Helo said it with a wink and a twinkle in his eye. He still couldn't believe it, and he had been there. Starbuck, married. They all heard little Billy cry right then.

"Goodbye Karl."

He laughed as Kara closed the door in his face.

**_zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz  
_**  
Dinner that evening was tense. Admiral Adama walked into the mess. Sam's fork froze in midair as he saw the Old Man turn in their direction. Kara looked furtively at Sam, then Adama, then busied herself with feeding her son.

"Good evening Mr. Anders...Starbuck. How's my grandson?"

Kara responded with a slight smile and attempted to disguise the nervousness she was feeling.

"He's doing fine, sir."

Sam didn't miss the way that Kara was acting and reacting. His wife had visibly tensed in the Admiral's presence.

"Samuel, do you mind if I borrow your wife for a moment? I need to speak to her about something...if you don't mind."

Waving his hand, he tried not to choke on his current mouthful. _Adama, asking me for permission?_ Something was definitely up.

"Yes sir. Whatever you need. Kara, could you hand me my son?"

Out of the corner of his eye, he definitely saw the Admiral flinch. But to Sam, it didn't matter. Billy was his son, period. The Old Man's demeanor changed ever-so-slightly as he spoke.

"Thank you. Captain?"

Kara nodded as she gave Sam a peck and followed the Admiral out of the mess. Sam looked down at Billy and smiled.

"Mommy's up to something, isn't she?"

Billy responded, laughing and gurgling.

"Dada; wuv Dada."

Sam reached over to the boy with another spoonful of food.

"I love you, too, kid. Daddy loves you, too."

**_zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz  
_**  
"Have a seat."

Kara gladly sat down in one of the familiar leather chairs. The smell of the material caused her to relax a little, lessoning the feeling she had that her legs were going to buckle underneath her.

"Starbuck...I need to know what happened to my son."

"Lee...sir, I already told Doc Cottle what happened in the brig. I don't see how repeating it is going to help any."

Adama sat down in his chair on the other side of the desk. He removed his glasses, squinted as he cleaned the lenses, and then slid them back into place. Kara smiled. Lee had referred to them as his dad's B S detectors.

"Well, now, young lady, it's your turn to tell me."

Again Kara went through the spiel she had created to minimize the events. She was pretty sure he'd bought it. That was until she saw the glasses come off again. _Frak._

"You're leaving something out, Captain. You may not want to tell me now, but it will come out eventually. You're dismissed."

"Yes sir."

Kara stood up and headed for the door, but stopped and turned around for a second. She couldn't help but ask him.

"Sir? Lee, sir... Is he going to be okay?"

"Still the same, Starbuck. Goodnight."

She nodded and pulled the door shut until it clicked. _Goodnight sir._

**_zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz_**

That night, Kara did not sleep well. She tossed and turned. The nightmares had begun.

She lay there, silently cursing as the tears coursed down her cheeks.

_No, Lee; stop.  
_  
But this wasn't Lee above her - not the Lee Adama she knew.

_Please, Lee. Please stop_.

Nothing. No response other than an increase in pressure, holding her arms down. Her skin crawled as he continued to touch her. As she looked down she saw it die and fall away from her.

_Lee, please stop! You're hurting me!  
_  
But he did not hear her.

**_zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz  
_**  
Sam woke when she began thrashing about. She was moving so violently that he had to pin her arms down at her sides. Kara began to talk in her sleep. It was too light for him to hear clearly at first. She was speaking, almost moaning, under her breath. But then she got louder.

"Please stop, Lee. Please stop."

_What the frak?_ It made him wonder what kind of dream, or nightmare, she was having. She began pulling, trying to get her arms free.

"Lee, please stop! You're hurting me!"

He let go of her as if he'd been burned. Kara shot upright in the bed and nearly fell off of it as she scrambled to get away from him. Her chest was heaving in and out as she struggled to get control of her breath. Her heart was beating so fast she thought she was going to hyperventilate. Sam watched as her eyes darted to and fro through the room before finally settling on him.

"Kara, what in the gods' names is going on?"

She burst into tears, covering her face with her hands. He pulled her into his strong embrace, unable to do anything else.

"Shh...Whatever it is, honey; we'll figure it out, together."

Her tears continued to flow unchecked, long after the morning had come.

**_zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz_**

For a three year-old child, Tanah Agathon was more curious than human children her age. She was very insightful as well. Helo had always felt a little frightened of her abilities, as they were mostly undiscovered at that point. That morning, she'd asked to go see the Admiral.

"I'm not sure he'll be able to see you, honey."

Tanah looked inquisitively at her father.

"But why, Daddy?"

Helo kneeled down in front of her, straightening the collar of his little girl's dress. Sharon, with little Billy on one hip, came up behind him and placed her unoccupied hand on his shoulder as she spoke.

"Because the Admiral is a very busy man, Tanah. He might be too busy."

The child in front of them shook her head and spoke frankly.

"No he's not, Mommy. He's in the sickbay visiting Mr. Lee."

Helo blinked, knowing that if he took her there right now, that's exactly where they'd find the Old Man. He kissed Sharon told her to be careful with her babysitting charge, and then reached out to take Tanah by the hand.

"Oh, and Daddy, why do you call him the Old Man? He doesn't look that old to me."

Swallowing hard, he began to walk her down to sick bay.

**_zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz  
_**  
The Admiral sat in a chair at the foot of a bed in the back of sickbay. In that bed laid his son. He had been there for hours, watching, waiting, to see if there would be any sign of a change in his condition. He didn't move until a voice from behind him tried to get his attention.

"Eh-hem. Excuse me, sir?"

_Lieutenant Agathon_. Adama sighed as he turned around to see Helo and his daughter standing there. Bill managed a small smile for the little girl, whom he couldn't help but like.

"Hello there little one."

But Tanah ignored him, pulling her hand away from her father's grasp. The two men watched as she made her way to the top of the bed, climbing on top of the mattress and placing a hand onto Lee's forehead.

She turned, hand still in place, and looked with sad eyes at the Admiral. A tiny tear sparkled as it slid down her face.

"I'm scared sir."

Helo's face then showed more than just a fatherly concern.

"What's wrong Tanah?"

The little girl shook her head and looked in the Admiral's direction.

"No, not Tanah. My name is Lee. Lee Adama."

"What the...?"

Bill placed a hand on Helo's arm, speaking first to the lieutenant, and then in the direction of his comatose son.

"Son...wait... What's wrong Lee?"

"Dad?"

Tanah's eyes had glazed over. She turned in the direction of Adama's voice, without actually looking at him directly. To bystanders, it was like watching a blind person.

"Lee?"

"Dad... I... I couldn't stop. Kara, oh gods! Kara!"

Again the little girl looked up toward the Old Man. Helo stared in disbelief. He'd known that his baby was different... _But channeling a comatose patient?_ He shivered. It was just too weird.

"Lee, can you tell us what happened?"

She shook her head. Tanah began to cringe outwardly as Lee Adama was cringing on the inside.

"I-I can't Dad. I couldn't get out. He wouldn't let me out!"

Adama shook his own head a few times. It was equally hard for him to fathom that his son was speaking to him through the voice of a toddler.

"Who, Lee? Who wouldn't let you out?"

"Me Dad; I wouldn't let me out. I...tell Kara I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt her."

As Lee began to cry, Tanah did, too. Helo had had enough of this. He reached over to pull his daughter's hand away from the younger Adama's head, and swept her up into his arms. It didn't make the crying jag stop, though.

Bill looked over at the little girl beside him; partly in awe and also with a great deal of concern.

"Thank you, little one. Thank you."

His eyes were tearing up as he reached to squeeze Tanah's arm. Beyond them his son's face was unchanged. He was still sleeping calmly.

"Mr. Adama, sir?"

Helo leaned over and spoke in a low voice.

"It's Admiral honey."

Tanah pursed her lips and furrowed her brow. She nodded her head and spoke again.

"Admiral Adama, sir...I think you need to go check on Auntie Kara. Please?"

He smiled, ruffled her hair and nodded, all at the same time.

"Yes ma'am, Miss Agathon. Will do."

**_zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz_**

_**Ah, I'll go ahead and tell you I lied. This was supposed to be a much longer chapter, but I got tired of typing. There's quite a bit more, but I'll get to that when I've got time later. Please review. Thanks!**_


	19. Searching for Answers

Kara was trying to keep herself occupied. The less free time she had on her hands, the less she'd be able to dwell on it. Last night had been horrible. There were light bruises on her wrists where Sam said he'd had to hold her down. But every time she stopped for two seconds, thoughts of those dreams would come flooding back to her. Whatever else, Kara didn't want to remember.

"Hey Captain, watch it!"

Tyrol's voice brought her back to the present. She still wasn't ready to get back into the cockpit, but she would at least manage to help with some Viper maintenance. She smiled sheepishly up at him.

"Sorry, Chief. Guess I was daydreaming a little."

"Yeah…well, whatever. Look, are you going to need a servo wrench or a spot welder?"

Kara looked up to find that she'd lost her place in the repairs again. It took her a minute before she saw that she'd already tightened everything up. Now she needed to weld shut some holes in the port engine's exhaust.

"Uh, the welder, Chief. Thanks."

"Don't mention it. Just yell if you need anything else. Cally?"

Smiling as he walked away, she quickly began to lose herself again in her work. She heard footsteps coming toward her and spoke without taking off her mask.

"Yeah, Chief…whaddya need?"

"Captain…"

Slowly she rolled out from underneath the Viper to look up into the face of the Old Man. Kara quickly jumped up and gave a salute.

"Admiral, sir."

"As you were Starbuck. Chief Tyrol?"

"Yes sir."

"Come take over the repairs from Captain Anders. Captain, come with me."

Kara wiped her hands on the legs of her bright orange jumpsuit. The grease came off easier than usual due to the sweatiness of her palms. She nodded.

"Yes sir."

_**zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz**_

Kara stood nervously in the Admiral's quarters. He had rounded the corner a minute before, and was now returning with a bottle of brown liquid and two glasses. Her nose twitched as he lifted the decanter to fill one of the glasses.

"You up for a drink, Starbuck?"

"No thank you, sir. I decided to quit a long time ago."

He chuckled and smiled his fatherly smile as he replaced the top. Adama lifted the glass slowly to his lips, smelling the liquid before downing it in one gulp. Bill wasn't sure exactly where to begin.

"Captain Thrace…I mean Anders…. Kara, please have a seat."

It was then that she realized she was still standing. In less than two days she had occupied this chair twice already. The feeling of the cool leather against her skin made her close her eyes for a moment. When she opened them again, she found the Admiral staring at her intently. _Go ahead, dish it out._

"Sir, you wanted to speak to me about something?"

Adama shook his head to clear the cobwebs. _This is not going to be easy_. He looked down at the glass in his hand, smiling at the irony. _Now I can understand where Saul is coming from sometimes_.

"Starbuck, something unsettling happened today…"

Fear pierced her through her heart.

"Lee, sir? It's Lee, isn't it? What happened sir?"

Bill reached out and covered her hand with his. He patted it a few times before withdrawing again.

"He said to tell you that he was sorry, and that he didn't mean to hurt you."

Kara looked away, feeling the familiar sting of tears in her eyes. She couldn't make herself look at the Admiral, knowing that they would spill out then.

"What happened Kara? Please tell me what happened."

Choking back a sob, she found a way to get out some words.

"Nothing, sir. Nothing happened."

Unable to sit still, she stood up abruptly, almost knocking the chair she was in backwards with the force.

"I need to go, sir. I have a job to do. May I be dismissed?"

Bill watched the young woman in front of him; the mother of his only grandchild. She was standing there, waiting, giving him a stiff salute. He stood, knowing that maybe her wounds were a little too raw for him to push the subject further. But the Admiral was already formulating a plan.

"You're dismissed Captain."

He watched as Kara did and about-face, then quietly exited the way they'd come. When he was sure the door had shut he picked up his handset and called the guard station down in security.

"Sergeant Tanner? Locate Samuel Anders and bring him to my quarters please. Now, thank you."

_**zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz**_

_**Little bitty cliffy. I can't help it! I like being evil sometimes…in a good way, of course. Please review. Sometimes your thoughts give me better ideas of where to take something. Thanks!**_


	20. Chapter 28

He was on his way back from the gym when the marine stopped him in the corridor. Sam was heading to take a shower before stopping by Agathon's place to pick up Billy.

"Mr. Anders, if you would come with me, please."

It was more of an order than a request. Sam looked at the man, who was being wholly serious. He put one hand on his hip before asking.

"Come with you where? I'm not going anywhere with you if you don't tell me what's going on."

The marine blinked. He obviously wasn't used to people questioning him like this.

"You're going to see the Admiral, sir. And he has requested that I escort you there. That's all I know, sir."

Sam's brow furrowed as he wondered what the frak this was all about. Throwing his hands up in the air, he figured…. _What the hell?_

_**Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz**_

The marine closed the door behind him. Admiral Adama rose from the couch he was seated on. A bowl of noodles rested on the table in front of him. Sam shook the hand that was extended in front of him.

"Mr. Anders."

"Sir."

"Have a seat."

Sam took a place in the chair across from him, looking curiously at his surroundings. It was the first time he'd been invited to the Admiral's quarters, and he definitely felt underdressed for the occasion. He could tell by the man's tired face that something serious was on the table for conversation.

"I've asked you here to discuss your family, Mr. Anders. It's not my grandson I'm concerned about, Samuel. I'm worried about Kara."

"Kara, sir? But…what's wrong with Kara?"

Those familiar glasses came off for a few seconds as Bill pinched the bridge of his nose. He sighed audibly before looking the younger man in the eyes.

"I was hoping you could tell me. Do you have any idea what happened the other night in the brig?"

Sam wondered what the Old Man was getting at. He wished he'd just spit it out, as he felt his own hackles begin to rise.

"I know she went down to do whatever you told her to. And I know your son ended up in a coma. Kara came home and started having nightmares. What difference does it make?"

_He's angry with me; probably has every right to be._

"Calm down, son. I don't know what happened. But something had to have. My son's in a coma, that's true. Somehow though, through Tanah Agathon – no, I can't explain it so stop looking at me like I'm an old man who's lost his mind! Lee spoke today and he said to tell Kara he was sorry for hurting her; that it wasn't his fault. It wasn't him."

Sam literally jumped up from the chair, knocking into the table and sending the Admiral's lunch flying across the carpet.

"Frakking son of a bitch! If he…."

"MR. ANDERS! SIT! DOWN!"

With a command coming in a gruff and obviously angry tone like that, he had no choice but to comply. Swallowing the lump in his throat, Sam returned to the chair he had just leapt from.

Bill wiped the sweat from his brow, continuing to speak in the same gruff tone. But he was careful to keep his voice lowered.

"I don't know what he meant. When I had Starbuck here earlier, she completely denied that anything had ever happened. But let me tell you this: I didn't get to be in my position without learning to read people very well. Something is going on here, and your wife is the only one who has the answers at this point who can communicate them to us. I need to know what put my son in that coma. I'm asking you for your help."

Sam's eyes narrowed and he looked down at his fingers which were fidgeting. He didn't think the Admiral asked for help lightly; especially not from a civilian source.

"Okay. I'll see what I can do."

_**zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz**_


	21. Chapter 29

Kara sat at a table in the corner of the officer's lounge, slowly sipping on a bottle of water. The muscles in her jaws began to tingle as she enviously spied Colonel Tigh playing triad with some of the pilots. Her parched throat ached as she watched a cup of the Chief's special brew make its way to the XO's lips.

Lowering her eyes, she took another sip of her water, hoping to kill the increasing sense of thirst. She wouldn't give in. The day she'd found out she was pregnant with Billy was the last time that alcohol tainted her flesh or her spirit.

The increase in voices meant the room would be full soon. _Time to make your exit_. Kara wanted to be far away from prying questions and prying eyes. She stood up and began to quietly make her way through the throng.

"Going somewhere?"

_Frak._ Kara looked up to see the gentle eyes of her husband staring down at her. He had been the reason she'd retreated to the lounge. For three days he'd been hounding her about Lee, the Admiral, and the brig. Kara knew what Sam was looking for…. _But I'll be damned if he'll get a word out of me._

"I've got to go pick up Billy, Sam. Sharon said she'd watch him until 18:00. It's 18:22 now; frak I'm late."

She groaned as she saw the time on the wall clock. Sam reached down and took one of her hands in his two, cupping and covering it at the same time.

"Don't worry; it's already taken care of."

"So what do you want, Sam?"

Kara temporarily let her guard down as she watched his grin broaden while she bit the inside of her lower lip. Sam had always had the ability to make her feel like a schoolgirl when he wanted to. Bending down toward her, he got to within an inch of her ear before he spoke.

"Cally is watching Billy until 23:00 hours. That gives us about four and a half hours to play a game of Pyramid and then figure out whatever else you want to do."

"What I want to do? Well, come on."

Colonel Tigh watched the couple as Starbuck tugged on her husband's arm, trying to get him out the door. _Gods help us all_. The gesture made him think of Ellen. He tipped his cup upward, drained it, and then slammed it down on the table.

"Fill 'er up."

_**Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz**_

_Gods this is exhilarating!_ Kara hadn't felt like this in ages. She was gasping for air, having just scored another goal against her husband. Only right now she didn't look at him as her husband. He was just another opponent, and she was determined to win. She grinned as she saw him coming out of the corner of her eye, trying to stealthily steal the ball from her hands.

"Oh-ho-ho! I don't think so, mister."

"What, you don't think I could take you?"

"You wish!"

Sam flashed a brilliant smile of his own. Playing the game had brought his girl out of her shell for a bit. He stood still as Kara faked to the left, and then swiftly moved to the right. They were playing no-holds-barred. She wanted it that way. So he didn't feel a bit guilty when he heard the air whoosh out of her lungs as he slammed her against the gym wall.

"Whoa, easy there, tiger."

Kara laughed, trying to shake it off as she felt a familiar ache begin in her knee and her shoulder. Her eyes narrowed as she tried to gauge Sam's body language. He's trying to take it easy on me. She decided then to blow him away on the next pass.

But Sam knew when she was going to do it. He saw the flicker in his wife's eyes as they were hunched over in the center of the circle_. Uh-uh; no way._ He watched her eyes again and listened to her breathing.

Kara took what she thought was the next window of opportunity. She didn't see it coming when he slammed her down to the floor, flat on her back.

Sam was grinning as he held her there, arms pinned to the sides of her head. He was completely and utterly aroused, leaning in to kiss her as he felt their bodies, every place they were touching; hers beneath his.

Kara froze.

"Sam, get off."

He laughed, having no intention of letter her get away with trying to play dirty like that.

"Uh-uh. I've got you right where I want you to be."

She began to squirm beneath his weight. The feeling of him on top of her was beginning to suffocate her. She felt like she was being crushed, and trapped.

"Sam, get off of me! Get the frak off of me! GET THE FRAK OFF OF ME!"

Her words came out in a sob as Kara jerked her arms free of his grip. She scrambled backwards until she felt the wall against her shoulders. She was shaking with fear.

Sam's eyes grew wide as he saw the look in hers. He noted the pale tint of her skin and the violent trembling of her body. Realization hit him like a brick.

"My gods, Kara! What the frak did he do to you?"

_**Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz**_

_**Think she'll tell him? I'm not telling. You'll have to wait for the next installment – which I know what I'm going to do with it…I just haven't written it yet. Have a fun weekend, and please review!**_


	22. Revelations

"Okay Lieutenant, what's the sitrep?"

Helo was at a loss for words. He knew the Old Man wanted a decent explanation, but the fact of the situation was that he didn't have one.

Karl had been heading for the gym for a light workout when he came across Kara and Sam. Anders had been trying to calm her down, whispering and talking very slowly to the obviously frightened woman. When he'd walked into the room, Kara completely freaked out and started thrashing about. It had taken the two of them to carry her, kicking and screaming, down to sickbay for Doc Cottle to give her a shot.

Admiral Adama listened patiently to the explanation and then nodded his head.

"Thank you, Lieutenant. That will be all."

He gave the customary salute, turned on his heel, and walked out of the hatch. Helo looked into the corridor as he exited, seeing Sam waiting there for his turn.

"Hey Anders, what did the Doc say?"

Sam was exhausted. It wasn't just that he was physically drained but he was on the verge of being an emotional wreck, too. He ran his fingers through his hair before bringing his hands together at his lips to say a silent prayer to the gods that Kara would be okay.

"Cottle sedated her. He said she'd be knocked out at least until I got back. He also put in a call to some counselor that's in the fleet to be there when she wakes up. Helo, you're her best friend. Have you ever seen her like this?"

Helo's lips pinched tightly as his jaw set. He hated to think of the obvious, but with the way Starbuck was reacting…. She'd been traumatized, that was for sure. He didn't want to share his opinion yet, because for now, it was exactly just that; an opinion.

"I'm not sure Sammy. I think you'd better go in, though. The Old Man's waiting for you. I'll head down and check on Billy, then go wait with Kara. I'm sure everything will be just fine."

Sam's worried expression didn't change. He just hoped this would be quick. He wanted to be there when his wife woke.

_**Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz**_

Sam walked with the Admiral toward the brig. Adama's concern had only increased when he heard Sam tell him how Kara had been reacting as of late. He placed a fatherly hand on the younger man's arm in an attempt to reassure him.

"Don't worry son. We'll figure this one out. And I'm sure Kara will be fine. She'll pull through this time; she always does."

A meek smile passed over Anders' lips as they came to the hatch. He prayed again to Artemis and Athena, two of his wife's favorite goddesses, that she indeed would be just fine. His discomfort only grew as they stood before the remaining three prisoners.

"Praying to your false gods will not help her. It's only blasphemy."

"What the frak do you know?"

Sam slammed his fist against the bars in front of model number six's cell. He managed to momentarily wipe the smug smile off of her face, even if it did manage to cause him pain in the process.

"Enough! You can either answer our questions or not. We've come to find out what happened between Captain Anders and my son, five nights ago. Do any of you know what happened?"

Adama hated speaking to these things. His skin crawled as he thought of every death they had caused, and could only justify their presence on his ship as an effort to protect themselves in the long run. The one called Leoben stepped forward, much to the disdain of number six. But it was Simon who spoke first.

"How is Starbuck?"

Adama put an arm forward to restrain Anders. He knew the history between this model and the two of them, but he refused to be baited.

"She's fine, for now. Now I have asked once already, do any of you know what happened?"

"Go ahead and tell him, Leoben. You know you're just itching to."

All eyes looked toward Six at her sarcastic tone. It was obvious that she knew the answer, but she wanted her more talkative friend to do the dirty work.

"First, I hope that she is doing okay. She has strayed from the path of her destiny, but it will be revealed to her once more; very soon."

Sam had enough. He hated the cryptic mumbo jumbo this model always had to offer.

"Gods, will you just get to the point already? We've heard this all before. Your copies are all the same!"

Leoben rolled his eyes and smiled a tiny little smile. He knew something, all right. More than they would ever possibly get out of him in this lifetime. He would be dead before they found out the truth. The President would probably do the honors again this time, just as she had before. He chose to address Adama, instead of the man standing directly in front of him.

"Sir, it is quite simple, really. Kara was violated, by your son."

Adama shrank back in horror. It was not what he had been expecting, and yet, at the same time, it was something he knew might have happened. _But why? How could Lee do anything like that? _ He looked back at the Cylon.

"What do you mean, violated?"

Leoben shook his head. Human men could be so stupid sometimes. It was one of the reasons they had been created. Not as much emotional baggage to hold on to. Six laughed and spoke up in a mocking tone.

"_What do you mean, violated_? What else could he possibly mean? Would you like us to go into detail? Fine. He held her down, forced himself on her, and the poof…he let her go. One of the failures of his kind is that the human mind is able to shut down, quit operating. There's also your explanation for the '_why_' you asked your son as to his being in a coma, Admiral. But don't you worry; he'll show himself again, soon."

She laughed as she watched the expression on Sam's face. She knew she'd hit the right buttons, and Adama knew it, too. He saw the knuckles on the younger man's right hand turning white as he gripped the bars in front of him.

"Marine…escort the female to the nearest airlock. Let's go, Anders. Your wife needs you."

"And your son?"

Bill sighed, not knowing what to think of the situation. Because to him, Lee was still his son. The one and only copy of him there in the known Universe. Would the human in him be able to override the Cylon? _I don't know. I just don't know._

"We'll deal with that later. Let's go."

_**Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz**_

As he entered the curtained area where they were keeping Kara, he saw that Helo had done as he said he would. He was sitting in a chair next to her bed, watching her closely. There was also a woman sitting beside her on the edge of the bed, stroking Kara's hair as she slept quietly and peacefully for the first time in almost a week.

It was when the woman turned to smile at him that he got another shock to the system.

"Get away from my wife!"

Bill looked at the change in Sam's demeanor. His skin had gone white as a sheet and his eyes were wide with fear. The woman smiled as she spoke.

"Your wife? Starbuck's gotten married? Well, isn't that sweet."

Bill put a hand up to restrain him, but Sam brushed it away this time.

"What's she doing here? Why isn't she in the brig with the others?"

"What are you talking about, son? This is D'Anna Biers. She's one of the fleet's most popular reporters and used to be a crisis counselor on Tauron."

"Reporter my ass, she's a frakking Cylon! One that looks just like her tried to kill me on Caprica, two days before Helo and Kara came to rescue us!"

Biers' smile faded as she realized she was caught. It wasn't something she'd banked on. Adama reached over to the phone and called security as Helo grabbed one of her arms and Sam the other, pulling her away from Kara's bed.

"Well, I guess my undercover job didn't go that well, did it boys? Guess we should have killed you back on the planet, eh Sam?"

About the same time the marines arrived to take the Cylon away, Kara began to stir. Still groggy, she looked up to see the blurry faces of Helo, the Old Man, and Sam looking down at her.

"Sammy?"

The words came out in a hoarse croak. She reached up to take his hand, pulling him in closer.

"Karl?"

He came into focus and nodded.

"Your son's fine, Kara. Sharon and Tanah have him playing dress-up, I'm sure. I'll go and check in on him now, if that's okay by you two."

"Yeah. Thanks Helo."

"Don't mention it."

As he left the area, the Old Man came into her line of vision. She smiled a little as he came over and nudged her chin, just as he'd always done.

"Welcome back, Starbuck."

"Sir."

"Kara, I'm getting too old for this. Now I know you may not want to talk right now about what's going on, but you're welcome to come by my quarters when Cottle gives you the all-clear. And that's an order, Captain. Just so we're clear on the matter."

She nodded, biting her lip.

Adama left the area, and Sam reached down to hug her tightly, placing his head on her chest.

"It's going to be all right, Kara. Everything's going to be all right."

_**zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz**_


	23. Chapter 31

"What's wrong, Sharon?"

She was leaning against the wall, her arms full of her daughter on one side and her godson on the other. It had been a long day, and the smile she gave Helo barely had any energy behind it.

"I'm tired. Tired of being cooped up in these quarters. It's no different than being in a cell, you know. Sure, the surroundings are different, and I get to spend time with you and our little girl, but…."

Helo's face was full of concern as he lifted Tanah up to transfer her to her own bed. He looked back at Sharon as she sighed.

"But what?"

"It's simple, Helo. I'm a prisoner of the Colonial Fleet and its military. As far as they're concerned I will always be the enemy, and you know it."

There was a bitterness in her voice he hadn't heard in a long time. He reached down to pick up Billy and settled down next to her with the toddler in his arms. Karl decided the best course of action was to change the subject altogether.

"Kara should be out and about soon. Doc Cottle and the President's new priest have said probably by the end of the week."

Sharon smiled as she thought of Starbuck being cooped up for the past three weeks in sick bay. Kara had never been known to be the best of patients.

"I'll bet Cottle's ready to throw her out by now."

Helo smile in turn as he thought of his godson's mother. Sharon was right. Cottle had had enough.

"I believe his exact phrase to the priest was: _'I don't care if you think she's back to normal, I do. And if you don't clear her out of here, the fleet's gonna lose their only qualified M.D. to be a patient himself!_'"

Thinking of al they'd been through, Sharon stretched her arms wide as she slid off the bed and got some blood flowing back into her aching legs. She leaned over and kissed him slow and lovingly, then placed a soft peck on the sleeping baby boy's head.

"Your mom will be home soon."

_**Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz**_

"Sam….Sam!"

Kara stifled a chuckle as her husband grumbled in his sleep. She didn't know how he'd managed to cram his large frame into that observation chair, much less fall asleep in it. Getting closer to him, she whispered in his ear.

"I'm going to the head. I'll be right back."

Sam grumbled again, shifting his weight. She wasn't at all surprised that he didn't wake. He had been there with her for the past three weeks, making sure she'd felt safe and secure. The only times he'd left were to spend a little time with Billy when the priest had come to chat.

She laughed inwardly as she washed her hands and face. Kara was almost back to her classic Starbuck self. The new priest had been a shrink in training before the stuff hit the proverbial fan. _How that qualifies him as a priest, I'll never know_.

But with O'Reilly's help, she'd managed to get past a lot of the emotional baggage she'd been carrying since childhood. _Even you, mother. Even you._ _Well, I wouldn't say past it…exactly_. They had talked about it, and how it really did affect her everyday life, her relationships with people and with the two men central to her life; Sam and Lee.

_**Let's talk about the incident.**_

_**Oh, so that's what they're calling it now, O'Reilly? The incident. What do you want to know?**_

_**Why do you think it happened, Captain? No need to shrug now.**_

_**It happened because I was stupid and arrogant and I ignored the obvious.**_

_**And what would be the obvious, Captain?**_

**_That I should never have been alone in that cell! I should have never used my rank to send away the guards!_**

**_So you think it was your entire fault, then? You don't think the fault lies with the man who attacked you?_**

**_That wasn't Lee that raped me. It wasn't him. The Lee I know wouldn't do that. And I could see it in his eyes; that wasn't him._**

_**Well, who do you believe it was, then?**_

_**I…I think it was his…the other half.**_

_**Other half?**_

_**Yes. The Cylon.**_

Kara shivered as she splashed her face again. A twinge of guilt hit her in the gut. She and Sam still had not had 'the talk'. And she dreaded to even think about when she would get to see the Old Man.

Because she knew what they believed. She knew what they wanted to hear. Quietly, she made her way back to her bed. She smiled as she heard Sam snoring, apparently still in the chair, right where she'd left him.

But Kara stopped before reaching her own curtain. To her left she saw the still comatose form of Lee Adama. _He looks so godsdamned peaceful like that_. Walking to the head of his bed, it still surprised her that he had not stirred. She listened to his steady breathing, wondering if somewhere inside there he was busy dreaming.

Not wanting to stay too long, Kara bent down to get in close to his ear.

"Lee, I know you're in there somewhere. I just hope you can hear me. Fight it, Lee. You have to fight it! I know you're in there! The Lee Adama I've always loved would never have done something like that to me."

Kara stood up again and squeezed his hand tight before turning to go. Just as she reached the edge of her curtain, she felt the hair prickling at the back of her neck. She shrugged it off and continued on.

Behind her, as her back was turned, Lee Adama smiled.

_**Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz**_

_**Hope you'd liked that. Please review – you have to push the little go button, you know.**_

**_See you soon, same bat time, same bat channel…_**


	24. In the quiet of night

Kara sat up in the dark. Billy was sick, and for once Sam had gone home for the night instead of leaving him at the Agathon's. Sharon and Helo had their own little one to worry about. And so she sat there, listening in the quiet.

Every night Cottle would go to sleep in his office. She had watched each evening as Cottle would take the charts into his office to work on them. His light remained on for hours at a time. It had already been several hours before the old doctor stuck his head out of his door, grumbled something to the night duty nurse and then flicked off his light and went to sleep.

Closing her eyes, she felt the gentle hum of the ship as it cruised through open space. Time really had no meaning there. Human beings just felt better if they kept up with the seconds, the minutes, the hours. She heard Lee's monitor beeping in the cold night, letting her in on the rhythm of his heartbeat.

She was startled, not realizing that she had fallen asleep sitting up. At first she thought she'd just had a dream, or that the night nurse had dropped something at her desk down on the other end of sickbay. _No, there it is again_. It was light, faint…. It took her a few minutes to realize that it was coming from one of the curtains down from hers. Kara found herself speaking aloud.

"Well, that's kind of frakked up. I didn't see any new patients come in today."

Then it dawned on her. The only other person in the sickbay tonight with her was Lee.

She tiptoed very carefully out of her curtain, making sure that the night duty nurse was still at her station before continuing any further. She had to stifle a giggle, as it reminded her of the days that she used to sneak to the mess with one of her favorite partners in crime. _Lee used to be one of those._

A wave of sadness swept over her at the thought. And more just like it followed as she reached the foot of Lee's bed. But she didn't want those memories. They made her weak. Taking a deep breath, Kara managed to put some of those mental walls back into place. _You can do this_, _Thrace._ _You're stronger than this._ She laughed lightly, realizing that every time she had to steel herself for something, she still called her own self Kara Thrace; not Kara Anders. _There it is again_.

She looked up at the foot of the bed, and watched in amazement as she saw Lee's lips, moving ever so slightly. But to actually hear what he was saying, she was going to have to get a little closer. _You can do this_! She walked to the head of his bed and leaned in to listen.

"Kara, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry, Kara. I'm so sorry."

And she stood there, letting the tears fall silently down her cheeks.


	25. Chapter 33

She wasn't sure how long she stood there. It could have been minutes; hours maybe. Her tears had long since dried and her sadness at seeing her best friend like this had been replaced with numbness. The feeling she had not had since falling prey to the abuse of her mother, years ago. It was when she cut everything off.

The military officer in her took over. She breathed calmly, thinking about the situation. Kara knew that if she let everyone else know what Lee was doing, they would throw him out the airlock, or maybe worse. And of all the things in the Universe that bothered Kara, she wouldn't let that be on her conscience.

"Shh…Lee. You can't talk. Don't make a sound unless you hear my voice telling you to talk to me. Don't open your eyes. Don't give **anyone** any indication that you're not in a complete coma anymore. Please?"

She listened carefully as the broken record of Lee's whispers came to a stop. Then they were followed by one single word.

"Promise."

It made Kara smile wistfully. She remembered the days when they'd had separate CAPs, and they had both made the promise to each other to come back alive. She bent down and kissed him lightly on the lips, just a quick brush.

"I'll be back, Lee."

Quietly, she looked out of the curtain to see if anyone was around. The nurse had fallen asleep at her desk and Kara smirked at the incompetence of these new civilian medical personnel. A military nurse would have stapled her eyes open before letting herself get caught in a position like that.

As she laid her head on her soft pillow, Kara tried to sleep, but found her mind was racing. _What am I going to do? Will he be able to overcome this? What about Sam? What will he think_?

"Oh no, Thrace, you are not telling your husband a thing."

"Do you need something Captain?"

Kara hadn't realized she'd spoken aloud when the nurse came by to make sure she was all right.

"No thank you, just a dream…talking in my sleep."

The nurse nodded, shrugging it off. Kara watched as the young woman checked on Lee's vitals, found everything okay and then walked back to do her paperwork at her desk.

It was not easy, but somehow, Kara fell asleep that night, thoughts still buzzing around inside her head.

_**Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz**_

"So Doc, you ready to send my pretty face home today, or what?"

The good doctor smiled grimly at her. There was nothing more that he wanted than that. Kara Anders had gotten on his nerves the third day that she was a resident of his ward.

"I'm finishing up your paperwork now. You can go ahead and get dressed; your husband should be here in a minute."

Kara nodded. She was so ready to get out of the medicinal place. But she also made a mental note to find her way in there at least once every three days to check on Lee. She didn't want him to get lost inside that mind of his again. She wasn't ready to let the Admiral in on her little secret, either.

Behind her, she could feel Sam's warmth as he approached, Billy in his arms.

"Look who's coming home today, Billy. That's right, Mommy's coming come today."

The toddler smiled up at his mother, squirming to get out of Anders' arms. He began to whine, and Kara finally reached up to take him.

"It's okay, Billy-boy. Just a few more pieces of paperwork, a blood pressure test, and I'll bet Mommy can beat Daddy down the corridor. What do you think?"

Billy just smiled, and then nodded his head in ascension. Even at his young age, her son had learned to let Starbuck have her way. His Dad reached out to help Kara up, when she felt her legs give out from under her. Sam barely grabbed his son before she hit the floor.

"Doc Cottle! Get down here!"

The older man, huffing and puffing, came down the aisle.

"What seems to be the problem here, oh! Sorry Captain, guess you won't be going home until we run some more tests. Up you go."

"Frak."

Kara put her head in her hands as she felt the tears well up in her eyes. If it wasn't one thing, it was another. She's spent so much time in this frakking place that she felt she'd just become a permanent resident. _Screw having any other kind of life!_

Cottle's nurse came and drew some blood. Kara sat anxiously waiting as Billy sat between her legs, playing with the bed sheets. Sam took a spot at the foot of the bed, counting how many wires he could see poking through the old girl's rafters.

"So, what's the verdict? Anemia? Blood Pressure?"

"Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Anders, you are going to have a little brother for Billy there, oh, I'd say in about six more months. Get some rest, stay out of Vipers, and take your vitamins – here."

Kara sat there in shock, reaching out to take the bottle of pills from Cottle. Sam sat there in shock, too, and then slowly displayed a widening grin.

"Did you hear that, Billy? Mommy's going to have another baby!"

_**Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz**_

A few beds away, tucked behind a curtain, a silent Lee Adama lay there, listening carefully. He heard Doc Cottle tell the couple there happy news. And something inside of him broke down. _Now there will never be a chance in heaven or hell that I'll have her back again._

_Don't you worry your pretty little head, fly-boy. I'm not finished here yet._

Lee was frightened on the inside, for he didn't know what his other side had in mind, and he really didn't want to find out. All he wanted to do was love Kara and his son and get on with his life.

No one took notice as a silent tear slid down his cheek.


	26. update

To those of you waiting for an update:

I am getting to it. My muse actually died, for a little while, and then the kids got

sick…people went on vacation…then **I **got sick. I'll try to work on the next part

sometime this weekend that is coming up. It so bites that BSG is on hiatus until

October…. Maybe my imagination will run wild. _Must go watch my DVDs, must go _

_watch, must go watch, must go watch…._ARRRRRRGGGGGH!

Until then…


	27. Chapter 34

Just a note to all of you out there waiting for an update: I will be getting to it soon. I'm trying to get this Harry Potter thing out of my system before I can focus on Anders/Kara/Lee again. Yes, I did say HARRY POTTER-whether you can believe it or not. I am a fan of the books.

You should take a gander. It even includes a couple of scenes in it that I cannot touch with a ten foot pole with my BSG characters. Well, who knows? I just might get up the guts to write one for you guys.

Well, almost finished with the HP. Then I'll get back to here. Until then, just wait for your e-mail updates; though at the moment, mine aren't updating at all. Wonder what that's all about? scratches head furiously

Peace; be good, be careful, and bebop a luau.

-M


	28. New Beginnings

_**Hello folks! It's me again! And we're back in the saddle again. Kara's up to a little sneakiness, so have fun imagining what will come up next. Toodles!**_

* * *

It wasn't hard for Kara to get on with her day-to-day activities. The young pilot had learned long ago exactly how good of an actress she could really be. There were only two people she was never able to fool; the Old Man, and Lee.

_Lee._

She let her thoughts drift back to him as she let Billy play with the blocks Sam had made. He was such a loving father, and as she reached down and fleetingly touched her abdomen, she realized that life would have been so different without him. Kara probably would have been completely lost, and for that she was grateful for when he'd rescued her.

A knock on the door brought her out of her thoughts. She carefully untangled herself from her son, and made her way to the door. Sam was working down on the deck today, and Kara was going to start her first day at her new job. She opened the door to the smiling face of Cally.

"Captain Anders."

"Good morning Cally. Thanks again for coming on your day off to sit for me. Billy seems to like you more than anyone else except maybe Sharon."

"I'll be dropping him off to her later, anyhow. I've got to make a supply run for the Chief later on today."

"Okay. Well, have fun you two."

She leaned over and planted a kiss on Billy's young head, ruffling his hair as she made for the door before he noticed her absence.

The corridor in front of her held the familiar hum of the old gal making her way through cold space. She breathed in the familiar musty air that was recycled over and over again, and realized then how much she would actually miss being able to fly. But it was safer this way, and she would also be able to keep an eye on Lee. _Not that Cottle's any happier about it._

Kara smiled wickedly at the thought of being able to drive Doc Cottle nuts. Helping out in the medical bay had actually been the Old Man's idea. He figured it would be a good way to keep on Kara's condition, seeing as she already held a penchant for passing out for no reason. She chuckled again when she was greeted by the scowling countenance of the good doctor himself.

"Good morning Doctor Cottle. How are you doing today?"

"Cut the crap, Captain. You know I'm not exactly happy at seeing one of my least favorite patients in here everyday. The good thing is I'll get to torture you by giving you the most boring and menial tasks imaginable. Here."

She opened her arms, accepting the stack of papers and charts that he shoved in them.

"You get to enter all this data in the computer. We're seriously backlogged. Come see me when you're finished."

"Hey! Most of this stuff is from way before the Galactica left Caprica before the attack. What's taken you so long?"

"Lack of resources, Captain. Have a good day."

She frowned, not missing the sarcasm dripping from his words. Kara sighed, because if there was any consolation, it was that she would get to see Lee during her lunch break. _It's going to be a very long day._


	29. Still trapped

Kara was completely and utterly bored to tears. She had no idea how other women went through their lives being secretaries and schoolteachers. _This has got nothing on being a Viper pilot._ She looked up from her computer screen, already having kicked the ancient piece of equipment three times when it kept freezing up. It was almost lunchtime, as she noted that Cottle was heading her direction.

"How is it coming, Captain Anders?"

She looked up, offering her best sarcastic look before speaking in low tones.

"I guess it's the best that can be expected. I don't know which moron designed this program, but he needs to have his head examined."

The old doctor smiled, nodding his head as his eyes gleamed mischievously.

"Oh believe me; he has had his head examined. The good Dr. Baltar made that hunk of junk, and yet he has seemingly no idea how to operate the damned thing. Which is a bunch of bull and you and I both know it."

Kara laughed aloud, thinking of said genius who apparently didn't want to be anywhere near machines. She still shook her head every time she passed him in one of the corridors, knowing that something just wasn't right with the man.

"Well, Captain…I'll leave you to your fun and games while I go fill up on fake rations. Have a nice day."

"Jerk."

She said it lightly to his back as he walked away, but apparently not low enough for him to miss it.

"What was that?"

Cottle stopped and turned before exiting sickbay. She just managed a bright smile and waved, all the while grinding her teeth together. Kara waited about five more minutes before she stood up to see if anyone else was in the bay with her.

"All clear."

The words came out in a whisper before she knew she'd said them aloud. Carefully, she tiptoed down to see if Lee was asleep or awake. As she rounded the curtain, her breath caught in her throat at the sight before her.

Lee Adama, Apollo, son of William, was sitting upright in his bed. His eyes were open and he was smiling wickedly at her.

"Lee, what if you get caught! I've already told you what they're going to do with your half-Cylon ass!"

The hissing of her words carried further than she'd liked. Kara pulled the curtain behind her, slowly walking to the edge of the bed.

"Dammit, Lee, until we can figure out how to get rid of your Cylon…shall we say…split-frakking-personality, you're screwed if anyone else knows you're awake. You'll end up right back in the frakking brig!"

Lee tried to push himself up a little straighter before responding, but even Kara could see that he was too weak to do so. As he began to push upward on his forearms, he faltered, and began to teeter off the edge of the bed.

Kara quickly closed the distance and grabbed onto him to prevent him from smacking the floor below.

"Hey, there. No need to show off now."

Her warm-natured grin belied her concern, but as he looked up into her eyes, anyone could have been able to tell that she was still worried about him. Slowly, Lee began to speak in a raspy voice.

"You know me, Starbuck. Always trying to make you look like number 2. I couldn't let you enjoy all the fun, now could I?"

He let her push him back up against the bed, straightening up his pillows as she did so.

"Yeah-yeah. Daddy's golden boy."

Kara sat down in the chair next to Lee's bed. She knew she could only stay for a minute or two, tops. There was not telling when the next nurse would walk in, or if Cottle would bring his lunch back to sickbay instead of lunching in the mess.

"Look, Lee. Just try to be more careful, okay? Helo and I are trying to figure all this out. It's kind of unprecedented, you know? We've still got Cylons in the brig, and one of them is actually being cooperative."

Lee's eyes narrowed, the fact of which Kara did not notice.

"Oh yeah? Interesting…which one?"

She absentmindedly bit on one of her fingernails as she responded.

"Leoben. Remember, the one that the President had thrown out the airlock?"

Lee nodded. Indeed he did remember. And he also remembered how sympathetic Kara had been when it happened; even praying for the Cylon's soul. Lee often wondered if Leoben had been in love with Kara to begin with.

"Yeah…I remember. Goodbye Kara. Have a good day."

"Goodbye, what do you…?"

Lee closed his eyes and smiled.

"Somebody's coming Kara."

"What? How did you…?"

She jumped up from the chair and opened up his curtain, quickly retracing her steps back to her desk; busily making it look like she'd never left.

Sure enough, Cottle **had **brought his lunch back from the mess with him. And he'd even grabbed a little fresh fruit for Kara.

"Here you go, young lady. A new mother needs to eat healthy, too."

"I'm not a new mother, Doc."

"Oh hell, Starbuck! You know what I mean! Could you for once in your life try not to be so difficult?"

Kara smiled, happy that she still had the touch. She took the apple from his outstretched hand, and nodded as she bit into it, rather than give a verbal thank you. The old doc grunted as he shuffled his feet back to his office. On the inside, Kara wondered silently how Lee had known that someone was coming, long before the footfalls could be heard.

At the besideshe had just left, Lee Adama was sitting there still, hands to his sides, but with a small grin on his lips. On the inside, he was screaming to get out, the Cylon laughing at him all the while, its grin widening with Lee's useless pleas.


	30. Chapter 37

It was very late. Sam couldn't tell exactly how late it was, seeing as all you saw in the darkness of space was just that…. _Darkness_. But he had been sitting up on one elbow for quite some time, watching his young wife sleep. She had been breathing very deeply for most of the night, and Sam had reached down to tuck a stray lock behind her ear that had been making its way to the side of her opened mouth. Just as he did so, she began whimpering softly in her sleep.

"Another nightmare."

In the still air of the room, Sam didn't care that someone might hear him. Billy did not stir as his step-father watched both mother and son very carefully. The two of them seemed to share the same sleep patterns as of late, and it was beginning to concern him.

Four nights in a week, and they both had woken from apparently frightening dreams; Kara so startled she had been unable to comfort her own son from the shivering she was displaying herself.

But neither one of them told Sam what they had been dreaming about. He didn't miss the little look exchanged between mother and young son when he asked Kara about them. Whatever they were, it was 'their little secret'. He gently began to wake her, tugging on her left arm.

"Kara…Kara, wake up honey. It's just a dream."

The pace of her breathing increased, and she began panting to the point of hyperventilation. _This one is different._ Sam grabbed onto both of her arms, trying to hold her still as she began thrashing about under the light sheet that was covering her torso and legs.

"Dammit Kara, wake up!"

After several minutes of trying to hold onto her, Kara became eerily still. As he let go of her arms, she shot upright and her eyes sprung open. She looked quickly over at Billy, pulling the sheet off her legs and ignoring Sam completely as she stood up, a whisper on her lips.

"Lee."


	31. hope still

"How long!"

Her fist was throbbing, but the sheer look of surprise on the Cylon's face gave Kara a sense of satisfaction she hadn't felt in months.

"I said, how frakking long?"

Leoben sat on the cold bench of his cell, smiling in amusement at the treatment that Major Kara Anders was showing the D'Anna Biers model. He hadn't thought that Kara would catch on quite that quickly. He had honestly thought that he would have been thrown out the airlock already. But perhaps that was part of God's plan all along - for him to be witness to a miracle.

Kara sighed forcefully, completely exasperated, even though she'd been in the brig for less than five minutes. She knew from the darting motion of Biers' eyes that the Cylon knew exactly what she was talking about.

"Fine then, I guess we'll just have to do a little experiment to find out. Wont' we?"

Even though she was significantly shorter than the Cylon's ample six-foot frame, with the aid of adrenaline mixed with extreme anger, Kara Thrace Anders was able to lift the other woman up by her throat by one hand. There were at least two inches clearance between the Cylon's feet and the cold steel floor below. Kara cocked her head to one side as she watched the panick rise in her enemy's face.

"T-t..."

Kara moved her head to the other side, as if to listen in a little better - her eyes narrowed.

"Excuse me, did you say something?"

She lowered D'Anna Biers to the floor with a thud, releasing her throat. The Cylon looked at Kara in hatred, still gasping for breath. _Maybe I squeezed too hard._

"T-t..."

"I believe she's trying to say two, Major Anders."

Eyes still narrowed, Kara turned on her heel to look straight at Leoben. She still wasn't sure what it was about this model, but when Adama said he was going to send it out the airlock, Kara had actually convinced the Old Man not to do it. She couldn't bear to see him die twice.

"Corporal, open the door."

The marine opened the door to the cell she was already in, then opened the one to Leoben's cell as she neared it in turn.

"Step aside, Corporal."

As Kara slowly entered the cell, Leoben stood up in response, like someone showing deference to a superior officer.

She got closer to him, stopping right in front of his face - so close she could see the sweat dripping from his forehead. Kara reached up and wiped off a droplet.

"What did you say?"

It was Leoben's turn to look at Kara curiously. He hadn't expected this behavior from her; as if greeting an old adversary, or an old friend. He smiled faintly as he began to respond.

"Two, Major Anders. She was trying to say that it takes approximately two minutes for a Cylon's consciousness to begin its download from a damaged body. Two."

He held up his fingers as if to emphasize a point. Kara reached out and grabbed those fingers, pulling his hand back down to his side as she leaned into him further, stopping to whisper softly in his left ear.

"Pray to your god that she's correct."


	32. Chapter 39

"Kara! Kara!"

It had taken Sam a while to find someone to watch Billy. He didn't trust just anyone, and he wasn't going to dump the kid off on some random deckhand just because it was more convenient. He'd had to wait until Cally got off of her shift before going out to find where his wife had run off to in the middle of the night.

"Starbuck! Would you wait up already!"

Finally acknowledging her husband's presence, Kara stopped mid-stride to turn and look at the exasperated and confused man. She smiled lightly at his huffing and puffing, thinking to herself for a quick moment that when this was all over, he needed to go back to regular Pyramid practices and worrying less about her and the baby. But the thought was fleeting, and the smile was soon replaced by a stern look in her lover's direction.

"Don't try and stop me, Sammy. I know what I am doing and what it is that we have to do."

Rising up from a slightly bent position, his hands still placed firmly on his thighs as he caught his breath, Sam looked at her with a mixture of curiosity that was slowly beginning to combine with anger. Anders had a pretty good idea what this was all about.

"What the frak is going on, Kara? Or did you think you weren't ever going to enlighten me?"

The stern look disappeared as she shook her head. Kara closed the distance between them, giving her husband a great hug and a slow, soft kiss on the lips. Several off-duty pilots were on their way to their bunks, whistling as they passed. This managed to illicit the middle finger from not only Starbuck, but from Anders as well. Coming up for air, Kara rested her cheek on his chest for a moment, before looking up at him with tears in her eyes.

"Sam, you know that I love you. You are my husband; father of this little egg here growing in my belly. You saved me. You saved what was left of my soul and let it grow again. Now let me go save someone else, too."

He took one of his hands, lightly touching her cheek before placing it on her still small, round belly. They had many months to go together, and he didn't want anything to compromise his child's life, or that of his wife's, or his own. Sam wanted that happy family that everyone in the fleet still dreamed about - still hoped for. He just wondered if what she was about to do would manage to change any of that.

"Kara, this has to do with Lee Adama, doesn't it? Kara, just tell me the truth. Do you still love him?"

She smiled and rolled her eyes. It would always come back to that in every arguement they had. Every single time, somehow, it came back to her former lover, and if she still felt the same for him.

"Lee is my friend. I love him that way now, just as I did once before. Apollo would risk his life for me, through thick and thin, and without a second thought to his own safety. He's proven that time and time again. Now his own life is compromised, and I think there's a good possibility that we can fix it. Do you get that?"

Sam nodded, even though he was still wary of what his wife had planned. As if reading his thoughts, she shook her head and tugged on his hand.

"Come on. We've got to get to sickbay before Cottle decides to do anything else to Lee. And I think I know how to get that Cylon personality of his to shut up once and for all."


	33. Chapter 40

Kara quickened her pace as she made her way to the far end of the Old Girl, her husband bringing up the rear. She didn't want anyone to stop her, and she knew they'd think she was crazy, but it was Lee's only shot left. If she didn't do this, there was not telling if they'd ever be able to get him back.

The doors of the medical bay made a loud thump as she threw them open, trying to catch her breath. She began to topple over as she slid to a stop outside the door to Cottle's office, the slick metal floor beneath her shoes making it a difficult to keep her balance. Sam managed to grab his wife right before she went down. Kara squeezed his arm as she smiled sheepishly.

"Thanks, dear. I needed that."

Sam merely nodded in the direction of Doctor Cottle, who was puffing on another of his infamous cigarettes, looking at them as if they'd lost their minds. Kara opened the door carefully, not wanting to get on his bad side already.

"To what do I owe this lovely appearance of yours, Starbuck? It's 0500, and you're not due for your shift for another seven hours."

"I think I know of a way to help Apollo, sir. And weren't you supposed to be quitting those things?"

She pointed to the offensive object in question, waving at the air in front of her before pointing to her belly. Taking the obvious indication that it wasn't a good idea to be smoking in front of a pregnant person, Cottle merely grunted as he ground out his cancer stick before tossing it into the nearest receptacle. The older gentleman leaned back into his chair, waving a hand at the metal ones on the other side of his desk.

"Have a seat. Now, let's hear about this idea of yours. I may think you're crazy, but I'll do just about anything to make the Old Man smile again."

Kara sat while Sam stood behind her. She explained the dream that she'd had. How she'd gone down to speak to the Cylon before it was thrown out the airlock, and what it was that she thought they needed to do to get rid of Lee's split personality, once and for all.

Cottle merely shook his head in disbelief while giving her a wry smile. But he spoke to Sam first, not at her.

"You know, you might have a crazy one on your hands, there. Crazy, but brilliant. Maybe one day you can curb that personality of hers, too."

He then turned and looked at Kara with a stern look on his face.

"All right…here's what we'll have to do. Now, you know you're going to have to get approval from the Old Man, but I think you just might be onto something here."

Kara nodded, reaching up for that reassurance that Sam so easily gave on every occasion that she sought it. He was her rock, and he knew that she needed to get her best friend back if there was ever a chance she was going to be whole again. She spoke quietly, speaking more to the gods themselves, and praying that they were still listening.

"It's his last shot, and I pray it works."

_**Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz**_

****

Two hours later, with two nurses standing over him, as well as his father, Kara, Sam and Doc Cottle, Lee Adama finally stopped breathing.

Cottle had used the shock paddles to stop his heart. Right before his lungs stopped taking in air, Kara and the others saw the Cylon in him come to the surface. It opened Lee's eyes and wailed loud enough to alert the whole ship.

"Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!"

And it was done.

_**Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz**_

_**Only two more chapters to go, people. It's taken me a long time to figure out just exactly how I wanted to end this thing, and I hope that you've all enjoyed the ride. Take Care.**_

_**- M.**_


	34. Chapter 41

"All right, Doc, just how much longer do we have to wait?"

Four minutes. The average human brain could go without oxygen for approximately four minutes before death of brain cells would begin to occur. Even as short an amount of time that was, it already felt like a lifetime to Kara.

She was not the only anxious one in the room. She felt the gentle squeeze her husband, Sam, was giving the hand he held. It was partly to reassure her, and partly to reassure himself as well. She looked across the gurney to the Old Man. His face was stern, but the barely kept in tears in his eyes told a different tale altogether. He lifted his gaze to hers, and held it for a few moments before looking back down to the slowly dying body of his only living son. But those few moments let her know that he was grateful, and also that he would not blame her if things didn't work out.

Kara took in a deep breath and exhaled audibly as she looked at the stop clock on the wall. Thirty seconds to go. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Cottle give Lee and injection, and then the nurse passing him the paddles.

"Okay, people. Move back and give me room to work. This may be easy, it may not. Just do your freaking out on your own time and leave the frakking work to me."

Quickly, all those around Lee Adama's gurney took a step back, almost in unison. Kara reached in her pocket to grab on of her god's statues that she had brought with her, saying a silent prayer. But aloud, she said a different one.

"God, if you really do exist…. If the Cylons aren't lying their frakking asses off…. Please, help this young man before us. Bring him back to us again. Make him whole."

She closed her eyes as she heard the paddles shock Lee for the first time. And then another. Each time she winced as she heard Cottle quickly tell the nurse to charge them higher. Kara Thrace Anders – Starbuck – fearless in all things before her, was finally afraid. She didn't open her eyelids until she heard the faint beep of the heart monitor beginning again. Everything came into full focus when she heard it getting stronger.

"Thank God. What?"

Kara shrugged as those around her looked at her rather funnily for her choice of words. Now all they could do was wait and see if he woke up.

_**Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz**_

Four days. For four days, those who gave a frak about Lee 'Apollo' Adama had been taking turns to see if he would open his eyes.

They all read to him from the same books. There was one on military action that Colonel Tigh had given to Bill long ago. There was a book of prayer and poetry that Kara had bought on Caprica during their last leave, so long ago. There was even a book on Pyramid strategy, which she was sure in the back of her mind that he would hold no interest in, but that made her smile at Sam's obvious gesture towards Lee's well being.

Late in the evening, on that fourth day, William Adama gave a squeeze to Kara's shoulder as he went to turn in for the night. She smiled, and squeezed his hand back as hard as she could.

"Thank you, sir. You know that you're like a father to me."

"And you a daughter to me. And Kara? Don't ever forget how grateful I am…. No matter what the outcome."

She nodded silently, understanding exactly what she meant. Even thought the old Doc had reassured them all that these things sometimes happened after prolonged death experiences, she couldn't help but worry each additional day that Lee's eyes didn't voluntarily open. On the bright side, it also meant that the Cylon part of him hadn't woken up to return, either.

About three hours into her shift, Kara stopped and marked her space in the book of poems. She stood up to stretch and feel the new firmness marked in her belly. _At least I don't have morning sickness._ She walked over to the side of Lee's bed and sat down on the edge of it, feeling the mattress give way a little under her weight.

"Oh Lee, if you could only see how big Billy is getting. He's got an attitude just like his father."

"Maybe he's got one like his mother. Who's Billy, Kara?"

Kara jumped so high in response to his soft yet gruff voice that she nearly landed on her butt next to the bed.

"Holy frak! Lee? Is that you?"

"Frak you, Lieutenant. Did I suddenly die and become someone else?"

She smiled at the fact that Lee was awake. And, oh yes, this was most definitely Lee Adama before her. But little warning bells went off when he called her Lieutenant.

"Okay, flyboy. Take it easy. Let me go get your dad."

"Kara, where am I?"

She made a motion with her hand to indicate that he was in a set of private quarters. The light was low and the furnishings sparse, but it was neat and clean.

"You took quite a knock to your noggin', Apollo. Your dad's going to want to know that you're awake. Okay?"

He grabbed onto her hand, keeping her from leaving just yet.

"Wait a second, Kara. How long have I been out?"

"A few days. Like I said, I need to go get your dad. Then we'll tell you all about it, together."

Lee sank back down into the fluffy pillows behind him as he nodded in resignation. He didn't know what was going on, but by the nervousness he detected in Starbuck's voice, a knock to the skull couldn't possibly be the simple explanation for why he was in that bed in the first place.

_**Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz**_

Kara tapped her foot nervously in the corridor outside of Lee's room as she waited for Cottle and the Old Man to get there.

"Frak, he doesn't remember. Oh frak, would you two hurry up!"

"Talking to yourself again, I see. You know, we have medications for that, Captain."

Cottle's face held a slight smile as he stood there, arms crossed in typical Cottle fashion. William Adama was bringing up the rear, showing signs of running out of breath. He had obviously moved a little faster than usual to get there.

"Okay, Captain, what's the sitrep?"

Kara twisted her hands nervously as she began to explain.

"Well, the good news is, Lee's awake. And from what I can tell, it's just Lee there. The bad news is, I think he's missing a pretty big chunk of time from that memory of his."

The good doctor looked at her closely.

"And how's that again?"

"Well, for starters, he doesn't remember his son. And on top of that, he called me Lieutenant."

Bill took a deep breath. Then he took another. After the third, he reached out and squeezed her shoulder before looking carefully at Cottle.

"So, doctor, what should we do?"

"Well, we have to tell him the truth. We can't keep his son from him forever. But I suggest that we go slowly and carefully. It's going to be hard enough on him as it is. I also think that for now, we skip over some of the, shall we say, gorier details of his life as a half Cylon. Agreed?"

She and Lee's father nodded in unison. All three of them took another deep breath before following the Old Man back into the room.


	35. Chapter 42

Lee Adama sat up in his bed, more nervous than he could ever remember being in his entire life. There were all these people standing before him, looking at him anxiously, themselves. And the kid. _Whose kid is that?_

His dad was there, and Kara. Behind her stood Samuel Anders, never one of his most favorite people, but he had a begrudging respect for the former Pyramid player. They were all moving their eyes about the room, waiting for something.

He nearly jumped out of his skin at the click of the door opening. In walked Cottle, carrying a small bag and accompanied by one of the nurses from sickbay.

"All right. Would someone tell me what the frak is going on? Sorry…."

Looking sheepishly at the kid in Sam's arms, Lee averted his gaze and settled on Kara's eyes instead, taking in the narrowing of her lids, and then the grim set to her lips.

Kara took a very deep breath and sat down in the chair next to Lee's bed before she began.

"Okay, Lee. A lot of things have happened while you have been… 'out' shall we say…? Mainly that you were in a coma, and when you woke up, you seem to have found yourself with a little…."

"Amnesia, Captain Anders."

Lee looked up at Doc Cottle, then at Kara again.

"C-Captain…A-Anders? Wait a second, what's going on here?"

A warm, familiar hand was put on top of his. It brought him back down to where he was and who was in front of him. Lee focused on that feeling of warmth, and gulped as he listened to her continue.

"Yes, Lee. You haven't been in the coma but a couple of weeks. But it looks like that was just long enough. I'm a Captain now. And Sam and I got married. You…you went away for a while. We didn't know exactly what happened to you."

"So you just…moved on, without me?"

Kara leaned back in her chair as his hand was jerked out from under hers. He didn't understand. _Who could expect him to?_ She looked up in surprise as she saw Sam move out of the corner of her eye, getting closer to Lee's bed.

"Commander Adama; Apollo, meet your son, Billy."

The toddler looked down at his biological father and then to his step-father once more, grinning as he reached out with his chubby little hands, willing Lee to reach for him. And the older Adama did.

With a look of amazement, he reached out and gingerly accepted his own son from the man who had married the woman he loved. His eyes widened in response to the little boy's thumping him on the nose before uttering one word that made all their hearts melt.

"Da-da."

Lee did not miss the twinkling of tears in Sam's eyes as he nodded. Nor did he fail to catch the smile on Kara's face as she reached out and grabbed both of the men's hands, holding on tight to each of them; joining them all together as a family unit.

Bill Adama nodded to Doc Cottle, indicating that he didn't think that sedation would be necessary. He himself reached out a fatherly hand, placing it on his son's right shoulder.

"Welcome back, son."


	36. Chapter 43

_Time. All there was, day after hideous day, was time._

Lee Adama sighed as he woke. The days kept dragging by for him. _No command for the frakked up Adama boy_. No flying a viper; nor a raptor. Hell, they wouldn't even let him near a cap roster.

Dragging his hands through his hair, he stared at his reflection in the mirror before him. He looked the same…physically felt the same. But in his mind, so many things were still missing.

A knock upon the door took him out of his thoughts and he grabbed a towel to wipe his face before opening the hatch. Again came a knock, this time a little more insistent.

"Lee, open the frak up; somebody's a little impatient here."

He smiled, noting to himself that he not being the only one uncomfortable in life gave him a bit of sick pleasure. The hatch opened to the sight of Kara, a bit frazzled looking as she tried to hold on to a squirming little boy.

"Come on Billy, give your mom a break."

"Dada!"

At the sight of Lee, the little boy nearly hurled himself from his mother's arms across the space; nailing his father in the chest. Kara rolled her eyes and looked fervently towards the head.

"Um, do you mind if I…?"

"No; go right ahead."

A look of relief washed over her face as she high-tailed it to the bathroom. Lee chuckled as he sat down on the floor with his son; still fascinated over the fact that he even had a son to begin with. It was there Kara found the two when she exited the facilities.

"Sorry about that. This one seems to think that my bladder is a trampoline."

She smiled, watching the two of them together. It reminded her of when Billy had been born, and Sam helped her pick up the pieces.

"Well, if you two will excuse me, I've got some paperwork to look into."

Billy got up and gave his mom a quick kiss, then sat down again, totally immersed in the little model warplanes his grandfather had given him to play with. Lee looked up at her; smiled and nodded. It looked like this might be a good day after all.

The idea of that left him when several minutes later, an explosion rocked the ship, and a familiar voice came across the com.

"Action stations, action stations. Set condition one throughout the ship. We have been boarded by the Cylons. This is not a…."

Then... static.

Sorry that it took me so bloody long to update this one. I've been experiencing a bit of writer's block until now. Take care, and I'll keep updating. This one is almost done, folks.

- M.


	37. Chapter 44

"Kara! Kara...! Frak."

The hallway before him was filled with dust and smoke. Sparks were coming off the broken wiring hanging down from the fractured ceiling. Lee carried Billy tucked underneath one arm, the boy's eyes wide and frightened, though he let go nary a sound.

"Don't worry, buddy; we'll find mama."

Lee's own brow furrowed furiously as he made his way through the dimly lit corridor, hearing the faint cries and screams of the injured crew members. He had no idea what caused this, and at that moment, didn't really care. Right now he was concerned primarily with finding Starbuck and getting the hell off of this ship.

* * *

On the completely opposite side of Galactica, Samuel Anders was holding his own, trying not to blow up the ship as he and his fellow marines held off six metal toasters from leaving the landing bay and getting further within the bowels of the ship. 

"Private!! Aim for their heads, godsdammit!!"

Sam shook his head as he yelled at the rook, hoping the idiot would realize Sam was trying to save his life.

"Yes Sergeant!!"

"Three, two, one...now!!"

One by one, five of the six toasters went down. One of the marines followed suit.

"Frak."

Anders looked behind him, realizing that he just narrowly missed being killed and thanking the gods that he wasn't. Taking a deep breath, he concentrated, waiting for the perfect moment to take down the last one and barricade the entrance to the hallway.

"Here goes nothing."

Before he knew it, he had one bullet to the right leg, which was now bleeding profusely, and there was a toasted toaster sitting in front of him.

"Get those blast doors shut and barricade the frakking entrance!!!!"

He had to go find his wife.

* * *

_Mama. Mama._

Her head hurt. She felt like she was stuck underwater, unable to get to the surface.

_Mama. Mama._

She could tell that her eyes were still shut, and she could hear Billy calling to her. She tried to open her eyes; the right one was swollen, the left a little blurry.

_"Kara?"_

Slowly, the fuzzy face of Lee Adama came into view.

"Kara, can you get up?"

She shook her head, trying to clear the cobwebs. A wet kiss on her cheek made everything come into focus as two little arms wrapped themselves around her neck. She nodded reluctantly.

"Yeah...yeah. I think so."

The rest of her body seemed to work just fine, albeit it was covered in pieces of ceiling and dust.

"Kara!!! Kara!!!"

Lee looked up and saw Anders coming from the other end of the hallway. The man was limping and holding onto one side. As he came closer, the men nodded at each other and Sam checked his wife for any injuries other than the rapidly swelling black eye now marring her typically pale face.

Kara smiled limply as her husband's deep voice reached her ears.

"You okay honey?"

"Yeah...Lee, would you?"

"Umm...sure."

He reached out and took Billy from his mother's arms, feeling a bit uncomfortable himself. Kara would have laughed at the two of them, if she didn't think it would hurt.

"Come on boys. Let's get the frak out of here."

* * *

Two new chappies have been posted. This one and the one before it. FF just didn't send out an update alert for the previous one. This sucker will have a semi-resolution soon, so stay tuned. 

- M.


	38. Chapter 45

"Sam, you've got our backs?"

Beads of sweat were forming upon his brow as he nodded furiously.

"Yeah...yeah. I've got it. Go."

Nodding in response, Kara took a quick look behind her and gave Billy and Lee a nervous smile as she held onto the rifle she'd found in the causeway. She rolled her eyes at the absurdity of the fact that here she was, pregnant and in charge again.

"Why me?"

She hadn't meant to say it aloud.

"What was that, Captain?"

Lee had heard her, even as Sam had not. Kara grunted.

"Nothing...let's just keep moving, okay?"

They made it a few hundred yards before she heard commotion before her. Starbuck held up one hand, keeping her voice at a whisper.

"Wait. We've got some action ahead."

She watched, cautiously waiting for an opening to go.

"All right men, we have two more turns before we've reached the port hangar bay. Keep your fingers crossed, and we'll find a raptor to get the frak off this boat. Ready?"

No one else said a word. Her husband and Lee both nodded.

"Let's move,then."

"Oh...frak."

Samuel Anders suddenly slumped against the nearest bulkhead, his hand falling from its holding position on his side. He was in bad shape, a long gash sliced open the flesh from his belly button to his lowest right rib, and he'd lost more than he needed to of blood.

Kara froze. She knew, instinctively, that her husband wasn't going to make it. She'd seen lesser wounds than this, and those people had fallen by the wayside, too. Adrenaline kicked in, and she ran to his side.

"Sam...no!"

His breathing had become ragged. He'd been pushing as best he could to get this far...to watch their backs. Samuel T Anders was slowly feeling his life slipping away from him. His vision was becoming blurred with the tears that he was shedding, knowing that he would not see more of his wife, or his stepson... He would never meet his unborn child on this physical plane. But he smiled at the irony of his situation: the tables had been turned.

"Adama?"

Sam's voice was ragged as he implored Lee to come closer. He could feel Kara trying desperately to repair his damaged body, knowing it would do no good. He closed his eyes, trying to slow his breathing in order to keep focused. He opened them when he felt Lee grab his outstretched hand.

"Yes, Sam?"

"Take care of them, would you?"

Kara grabbed him roughly, shaking him to bring him to his senses.

"NO! Don't you dare give up on me, soldier! You're NOT leaving me!"

He smiled softly, letting go of Lee's hand to reach out and touch Kara lovingly on her cheek.

"It's too late for that, Kara. I love you. Always remember that."

He groaned in pain, his breaths coming quicker now, more staccato in their rhythm. There was a commotion heading their way, from behind them. He looked at Lee sharply.

"Get them out of here. It looks like my last good deed has yet to be done. Help me up."

Lee nodded, understanding what needed to be done. He put Billy down for a minute, reaching under Anders' armpits and pulling him to a better seated position. Kara stood there, shaking her head, unable to process what was going on. It looked like he was going to have to bring her to the present, too.

"Are you good? Right."

Sam nodded as he made sure his own gun was locked and loaded. Lee turned to Kara, who was staring into the bulkhead behind her husband's head.

"Kara... Starbuck? Captain Anders!"

That did it. Kara's eyes came back into focus. She gulped and nodded. Lee put two fingers in front of his eyes, reaching down with his other arm and lifting Billy back up.

"Look at me...focus on me. Okay? We've got to move. There's nothing more we can do for him. Do you understand? It's time for us to get out of here, or we ALL die."

"Understood."

She nodded, bending over and looking lovingly into her husband's eyes. She touched his face, smiling at him.

"I love you, honey. See you on the other side."

She kissed him, the tears finally coming unabated. Kara then stood up tall, all soldier now. She sniffed loudly, wiping the tears from her cheeks and taking a deep breath.

"All right. Let's get out of here."

Lee followed her faithfully, knowing if the mother, Kara, broke down, that the soldier, Starbuck, would kick in. Three more corridors, and without any obstacles, they might just be home free. In all, there was one thing he noticed...

Kara never looked back.


	39. Chapter 46

She didn't look back. She barely flinched as she heard the grenade that Sam had tucked into his belt go off. She knew that if she did, she would break down again, and her children depended on her. She wasn't going to let them down.

"Kara, look up ahead."

Starbuck barely registered Lee's voice above the din. There was a firefight going on in the aft portion of the starboard hanger bay. But from what she could see, they still were unnoticed. Using her fingers, not saying a word, she gave Lee instructions of what she expected him to do next, and then made a silent prayer that Sam would wait on the other side for her until she was good and ready. Though she currently could give a frak if she lived or died, she wasn't going to leave her children without their mother.

Silently, they scooted across the hangar bay, heading for the only Raptor they could see that wasn't damaged. A few bullets whizzed by her head, and Kara could see in her peripheral that Lee, too, had to duck before they hit the viper behind him. A quick look and she also could see that it was beginning to look like swiss cheese in here.

Lee could tell that Kara was barely holding it together. Anyone else, who had not been military trained, nor who had been through as much as Kara had, would never be able to make it this far. They would be a sniveling pile of mess. He chuckled inwardly as he pictured Baltar, from long ago, in the Galactica's hangar bay. Ah, those were the memories.

The sound of a gun going off in front of them brought Lee to his senses. Kara yelling in his face didn't help much, either. To his surprise, though, Billy had gone to sleep in his arms.

"Godsdammit Lee! That was too close. Let's get the frak out of here!"

He nodded, watching her open the hatch on the Raptor. They scrambled in, almost tripping over each other as they did so. Lee carefully placed Billy in a seatbelt, then joined Kara up front.

"I'll take over from here."

Kara looked at him incredulously. She looked like she'd been hit by a Mack truck at this point. Her eye was now swollen shut, and she had a busted lip on top of that. Bruises were now visible in other places as well.

"I'm the better pilot, Adama."

Lee rolled his eyes at her. Same old Kara; different day.

"Kara, I don't have time to argue with you. Navigate for once in your life and shut the hell up."

He took over the controls, concentrating on getting them out of there as soon as possible. He had no clue where his father was, or if anyone else they cared about was still living. All he knew was he'd made a promise, and as he looked toward the darkness coming towards them, he was determined to keep it.

* * *

_Sorry my friends, for it has been a while. I've finally gotten to a place where I can do this again. Thanks for your faithful readership, and this one will be over in the next two chapters. And yes, this time I mean it!!_

_Toodles._

_ - M.  
_


	40. Chapter 47

Twin suns rose across the horizon, brightening the landscape before her. Kara sat upon a large boulder, watching the sky for any sign of technology, just as she did every day since they'd landed there, four years ago.

"Hey, Kara. Billy says his mummy needs to come make breakfast."

Kara scoffed as she heard Lee walk up behind her. Still she watched the sky above, wondering if anyone else would join them. The first few weeks, several stragglers had come, with broken raptors, broken bodies, and broken spirits. Still no news of the Old Man. No news of the other pilots they'd left behind. A struggling company of 14 they now made, wandering this empty home.

"Billy knows that you make better eggs than I do, Lee. I'm betting more on this being another ploy of yours to keep me from the sky."

Sighing, Lee reached out and stroked Kara's arm. So much pain she still carried, and if he was within his normal range, he would have made her leave this rock, long ago. But this was Kara, and as long as her morning ritual held some kind of hope for her, he wasn't going to force her to do anything that would destroy that hope.

"I know. Any signs of life out there?"

She shook her head, her shoulders slumping slightly.

"Not really. A few pieces of space debris fell through the atmosphere; meteorites. Nothing else."

Her skin prickled as she felt him get closer. Part of her still loved him, just as part of her still loved Sam. Lee was her comfort now. Her rock. Without him she would have gone stir crazy here. Yet somehow, he always seemed to find some way to keep her occupied; something different every day.

"Momma, look!"

Billy had walked up behind them, and was pointing to the sky, where a bright flash had appeared to the north. A flash of hope.


	41. Chapter 48

Kara's heart sped up. A lump formed in her throat, threatening to cut off her air supply. But she felt the familiar surge of adrenaline kick in. This had happened a few times over the years, and each time she'd been disappointed. But the soldier in her continued on, continued to be on alert.

"Wait here."

She jumped from her perch on the rock, calling out behind her as she moved swiftly for the front porch of the modest structure they'd built in their time on the planet. "Don't take your eyes off of it! Lee?"

"Still here. Still watching. Kara, hurry. It's getting closer!"

Kara heard the urgency in her voice as she felt the cold steel of her firearm, kept in a secret box beneath the front porch. She slid her fingers around it, smiled at how it felt like being home, then sprinted back to where Lee was waiting with Billy. "Billy, honey. Go get your sister. Stay in the house until we tell you different."

"But Mom...." he began. Kara looked at him closely and shook her head. "No buts, Billy. Move."

The young child understood the authority in her voice, even though he knew they had nothing to fear. There was something about the ship that was slowly lowering to the surface of the planet that was familiar to him. He knew its shape, its structure. Sliding off the rock, he went to search for where his sister was playing. His mother's voice, when she spoke like that, was something not to be challenged.

Lee looked at the ship, his eyes squinting against the glint coming from the metal surface as the light from the planet's dual sun's hit the side of it. What he saw his mind immediately registered, yet at the same time, he couldn't come to grips with it. "No, it can't be."

Kara nodded, her grip tightening on the gun as she saw its landing gear lower. It was still far off now, they had time to run. But something in her gut wouldn't let her go - her feet remaining where they were planted.

"Lee....go see to the children."

He nodded, squeezing her shoulder as he went back to the house, knowing that he might have to go underground any minute.


	42. Chapter 49

Lee Adama stood on the porch of his new home, on a planet they hadn't bothered to name in some solar system he couldn't remember the name of. He watched as Kara Thrace Anders, the love of his life, stood at the ready, her firearm pointed toward the figures that began to file out from the ship that had landed. A few of them he could make out simply from familiarity. Number Six. Leoben. Sharon. He heard Kara's voice loud and clear as she raised both it and her firearm a little higher.

"That's close enough!" Kara's shoulder's were beginning to strain from holding her sidearm up for so long. Without having much practice, she'd become a little soft around the edges, she supposed - though one wouldn't know it from looking at her. She was lean, muscled and a graceful as a panther when she moved now. "What the frak?"

He heard her say it, with enough fear tinging the words that he stepped from his perch and made his way to where she was standing. His eyes were either fooling him or his brain just couldn't process what he was seeing. Amongst the Cylons that had disembarked from the Bay Ship were some even more familiar individuals. Ones that looked just as surprised to see him and Kara as they were to see them.

"D-Dad?" But it couldn't be. His dad had been dead for years now. Lee found himself shaking his head and blinking several times, unable to get his mind around the fact that he was seeing his dead father before him. On top of that, he was seeing the dead former President of the Colonies, Laura Roslin. Even Helo was there, right next to the Sharon. Lee turned and looked at Kara. Her jaw was tight, the vein in her forehead pulsing as she watched their every move. "How is this possible?" she whispered to no one in particular.

"I don't know, Kara. Time travel?" Lee's brain began to function again, and he stood up straight, saluting his father as a proper officer of the Colonial Fleet would. After the salute was returned, he began asking questions to validate what was going on. His hunch had been right.

"So you're saying that this is when the Bay Ship took off with your dad and Roslin on it, somehow they jumped through time to find us here? So now what do we do, Lee?" Kara's grip on her sidearm relaxed and she held up one hand to indicate that she wasn't going to fire on them anytime soon.

Bill Adama's gruff voice came over to the both of them, above everything else. "First of all someone is going to get over here and give the Old Man a hug." Lee walked over and gave his dad a strong embrace, while Kara watched on. She'd known just how much Lee missed his dad, and being here for the last four years, they'd been isolated from anyone and pretty much anything. As she looked around, she heard Billy and his sister Mary walk up from behind them.

"See, Mom, told you that there was nothing wrong," came the 7 year-old's voice, loud and clear. "Hiya Grandpa. Mary, that's Grandpa Bill!" He showed his little sister to Bill Adama, whose mouth had just started hanging open. The little girl giggled, her dark brown curls, so reminiscent of her father, bouncing as she hurtled herself at the Old Man and attached herself to one of his legs. Bill looked down and rustled the toddler's hair, looking closely at the two adults in front of him as Number Six's voice purred at all of them.

"It seems we have much to talk about."

* * *

_**One more chappie and we'll be done. It's been a long journey, full of many mental writer's block episodes. But finally, truly, I will finish this thing. Thanks for all the support you guys have given me over the years. Take care, and I'll see you in a few.**_

_** - M.**_


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